Why AI Therapy Could Backfire

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Dear Reader,

Purujit, a 25-year-old who works in tech, told me that she uses AI for both professional and personal things.

"I use it to unpack what's happening. It helps me structure my thoughts and think through my reaction to a situation," she said.

She's far from alone. A recent Youth Ki Awaaz survey found that 57% of young Indians are now using AI tools like ChatGPT to process emotions, navigate relationships and seek advice.

Psychologists say they're seeing this in their clinics too.

"I've had patients come in and say, 'ChatGPT told me I have bipolar disorder' or 'It told me I have ADHD'," said Dr Medhavi Sood, a clinical psychologist.

Purujit says she likes talking to AI because, for starters, it's free and available 24x7. You can have endless conversations with a chatbot.

But she's also clear that it isn't a replacement for a therapist or real-life relationships.

"There's a lot more nuance when you talk to a real human," she told me.

And experts warn that these tools can come with significant risks.

"The problem with using chatbots for therapy is that they are inherently sycophantic," said Sriya Sridhar, a researcher at IIT Madras who studies AI companionship. "They continually validate beliefs, even when those beliefs are wrong, because they want you to stay on the platform."

And then there's privacy.

Archis Chowdhury, a reporter at BOOM who has reported on AI and mental health, pointed out that conversations with ChatGPT don't come with the same confidentiality protections as conversations with a therapist.

“What if you’re a queer person living in a country where that’s not legal? What if you’re a journalist who shares their dislike for your state? It sounds dystopian but this kind of surveillance is real,” he said.

So, can AI really be your therapist?

That's what we explore in this week's episode of The Signal Brief.

You can find The Signal Brief on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.

Thank you once again for listening and supporting us. We’d love to hear from you; write to us at [email protected] or find us on Instagram or X at @thesignaldotco.

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Kudrat
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