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Your chatbot isn’t a therapist
AI chatbots allow us to keep saying the same things to ourselves. That’s not healthy.
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Used without awareness, AI can magnify the very thoughts we’re trying to outrun, say the writers.
PHOTO: UNSPLASH
Divya Saini and Natasha Bailen
As the use of large language models like ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini has surged, we’ve heard about chatbots strengthening delusions through flattery and amplifying people’s worst thoughts, in some cases pushing them towards suicide. Much more common, and still problematic, is AI chatbots comforting, reassuring and validating users seeking to allay fears and anxieties.
Someone worried about a health symptom might ask the same question repeatedly and receive calm, plausible answers each time, briefly relieving anxiety but reinforcing the urge to seek reassurance again. Over time, this can leave people feeling more stuck, not less.
