The chatbot will see you now

As therapist shortages grow, more people are relying on AI chatbots for mental health support. Experts say the trend raises serious concerns

BSIP/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

A version of this article originally appeared in Quartz’s AI & Tech newsletter. Sign up here to get the latest AI & tech news, analysis and insights straight to your inbox.

A few months ago, someone posted a screenshot to r/ChatGPT showing an audio conversation with the chatbot that had run for almost 24 hours straight. The original poster said they were going through "rough times."

The replies came fast, and most redditors clocked it as reasonable. People described their own marathon sessions after breakups and layoffs and nights they couldn't otherwise get through.

A few said a chatbot had done more for them than any therapist had. A few said it made them worse, quieter, more alone. Both things can be true, and that's the uncomfortable center of AI and mental health right now.

The appeal is obvious enough. These tools are free or cheap, they respond at 3 a.m., and you know they won’t flinch when you say something ugly about yourself. A human therapist can't compete with that kind of communication, and there are........

© Quartz