Using AI for emotional advice causes depression, anxiety: Study warns

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has integrated into almost every aspect of human life, but relying on it for emotional support or other personal reasons could prove damaging.

A new study published in JAMA Network Open warns that the use of AI for emotional support can cause depression and anxiety.

A team of researchers from Mass General Brigham surveyed 20,847 United States (U.S.) residents, mostly white men and women, about their AI usage and mental health.

The study found that nearly 87.1 percent of the participants were using AI for personal recommendations, emotional support and advice.

The lead author of the study, Dr Roy Perlis, said that most AI exposure comes through chatbots and those using it daily for personal reasons were more likely to experience moderate anxiety and depression.

When asked about the problems participants faced in the past two weeks, users aged between 45 to 64 reported trouble in concentration, sleep and eating.

Earlier studies have shown that although chatbots designed specifically for mental health issues may be useful for people, general-purpose chatbots like Grok, Gemini or ChatGPT can prove problematic.

Experts warn against the use of AI as a replacement for therapy or professional mental health treatment.