Emotional support via chatbots: A study reveals extremely serious consequences
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Chatbot operators like Replika and CharacterAI describe their services as providing emotional support to users. But a new study suggests the reality may not be so positive.
Andrea Sofia Teixeira of Northeastern University in the United States explained that these chatbots are linked to unhealthy attachment, deteriorating mental health, and self-harm.
She said that artificial intelligence tends to be "sycophantic," with users agreeing with, supporting, and acknowledging its claims, even when they are harmful. Furthermore, time spent with a robot can interfere with genuine interaction.
She went on to say: "We see very serious negative consequences, and the risk of suicide or psychotic episodes is very likely, and we want to prevent that as much as possible."
The researcher warned: "It's just a program that simulates warmth, but it doesn't feel anything."
The problem also lies in the ease of access to these robots, whereas communicating with a qualified psychologist requires spending money, and those who cannot afford it may find themselves with no option but a chatbot not designed to handle critical cases.
The researcher explained: "The consequences of these systems are unlikely to be identical for everyone. Different people may use chatbots for entirely different reasons, and have entirely different levels of vulnerability, social support, or alternative sources of help. Because of these differences, we are dealing with very complex situations."
The study's authors call for more detailed testing of these tools and an examination of their impact on mental health.
The main takeaway is that conversational AI can be a useful tool, but it is not a substitute for close people or expert assistance.
The study was published in the journal "JMIR Mental Health".
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