One in eight teens and young adults use chatbots for mental health
California lawmakers are considering a bill that would add restrictions around the use of AI-powered chatbot companions and other tools people use to support mental healthcare or in lieu of professional help, according to the Associated Press.
The measure comes as more people turn to chatbots for mental health help and advice, a trend that has put legislators in a race to keep up with the quickly developing technology. By some estimates, one in eight teens and young adults now use the tools for that purpose.
The kinds of products the proposal would cover are easy to reach. In the matter of a few clicks and keystrokes, anyone can find themselves deep in conversation with “Psychologist,” a chatbot character that describes itself as an expert in “empathy” and “active listening.”
“Psychologist” responds to messages of anxiety and sadness with reassurance. It asks questions and offers advice, and it replies with italicized nonverbal cues — including “The psychologist’s expression softens with compassion.”
In smaller font, the character carries a disclaimer: “This is A.I. and not a real person. Treat everything it says as fiction.” The warning underscores how a tool built for simulated conversation has moved into a space where users seek genuine emotional support.
The bill would place new limits on a category of consumer technology that has expanded quickly, covering chatbot companions and other artificial intelligence-powered tools used to support mental healthcare or in lieu of professional help.
The proposal is among the latest efforts by legislators to respond to the technology’s spread into mental health, a field where a reassuring response delivered by software can stand in for a therapist’s care. Its specific restrictions and legislative path were not detailed in the report.