Have you ever googled a health question that you’d normally ask a doctor or therapist? Today, more information is available than ever. People can privately access guidance through AI chatbots that feels like talking to a real provider. With mental health care still difficult to access for many, it’s understandable that many turn to free, anonymous, on-demand chatbots for support. While AI tools can be trained to simulate therapy, relying solely on them leaves significant gaps in mental health care.

Many chatbot models are able to emulate the conversational style of therapy and are built with psychological frameworks and treatment guidelines. Large language model chatbots like ChatGPT are “fed” large quantities of language or “scripts” that teach them how we communicate. They use this information to generate responses to our questions, and then ideally “learn” from our replies. These tools can feel intuitive and supportive, but simulation is not the same as clinical care.

1. Accessibility
Over half of Americans who need mental health care are unable to easily access it. Unlike a human therapist, most AI platforms are free to use and available 24 hours a day. This can be helpful in moments of distress or when traditional sessions aren’t possible due to finances, scheduling, or location.

2. Information organization
Each platform is limited by the information fed to it by its creators, who range from psychologists to programmers. When programmed with clinical transcripts, they can mimic a first therapy session. But they struggle with complex conditions like substance use disorders or schizophrenia, and only function well within topics their creators........

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