Experts warn AI chatbots pose emotional dependency risks in mental health
Spanish psychologists have warned that AI chatbots like ChatGPT, used increasingly for mental health consultations, pose risks of emotional dependency and inconsistent responses to critical safety questions such as those involving suicide.
What happened
Psychologists in Spain have warned that generative AI models like ChatGPT are increasingly being used for mental health consultations, with the 24-hour availability and accessibility of these tools making them especially attractive to users.
Xavier Revert, head of Clinical and Health Psychology at the Balearic Islands' Official Psychology Association, noted that the progressive personalization of AI responses can lead users to establish relationships with the tools, potentially creating emotional dependency in certain individuals, particularly those with dependent personalities.
AI chatbots have also been found to be inconsistent when responding to questions about suicide, raising concerns that they may not detect all danger signals linked to such issues.
Reported impact
Psychologists warn that the use of AI chatbots for mental health queries can result in emotional dependency in certain people and carry risks regarding the reliability and confidentiality of responses.
According to Revert's experience, there has been an increase in patients consulting ChatGPT before seeking professional mental health help.
Index analysis
The interaction with AI models is characterized by progressive personalization of responses, which can lead users to form bonds with the tool as it learns their preferences and communication style preferences over time.
Classification
Sources and evidence
Sources not yet published
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