When a teenager talks about their problems with a chatbot: Psychological and ethical aspects of artificial intelligence use among young people

Abstract

Mental health among young people is a growing problem in today‘s society.  Young people who have grown up in the digital world turn to generative AI—so-called chatbots—for advice and help, engaging in conversations with them. Chatbots have several advantages: they are always available, easily accessible, flexible, and empathetic; they assist with psychoeducation; they possess a wealth of information and retain details from past sessions well; they are cost-effective; and they help young people overcome shame and stigma more easily. In addition, they combine various therapeutic approaches and assist in the training of human therapists. However, we also observe limitations in the functioning of these AI systems, particularly of an ethical nature. These primarily relate to the potential for AI dependency, the question of whether the data on which AI is based is accurate and representative, and the question of whether chatbots are capable of genuine empathy.