People are using AI chatbots as always available sounding boards

In short: More people are turning to general AI chatbots like ChatGPT to talk through personal worries and relationship problems, like an always-on sounding board.

What's going on

A 2026 study found that people often use general-purpose AI chatbots, mostly ChatGPT, to discuss personal and interpersonal issues. This includes emotional support, everyday advice, and help organizing thoughts. Many respondents said the conversations felt helpful.

The idea is simple. A chatbot is available 24 hours a day, and it can feel nonjudgmental, like writing in a journal that answers back (a sounding board is something you talk to when you want to think out loud). For some people, that constant availability is a big part of the appeal.

Researchers also pointed out important limits. The study did not measure clinical outcomes, meaning it did not test whether people’s mental health actually improved over time. And because these are general-purpose tools, they can give advice that is wrong, inappropriate, or unsafe.

What to watch

Experts say chatbots are not a replacement for professional mental health care. Evidence about longer-term effects is still limited, so it matters how people use these tools and whether they treat chatbot advice like a suggestion, not a diagnosis. It also raises questions about safety features, like how a chatbot responds if someone mentions self-harm or abuse.

Source: NYTimes