A profound relational revolution is underway, not orchestrated by tech developers but driven by users themselves. Many of the 400 million weekly users of ChatGPT are seeking more than just assistance with emails or information on food safety; they are looking for emotional support.

“Therapy and companionship” have emerged as two of the most frequent applications for generative AI globally, according to the Harvard Business Review. This trend marks a significant, unplanned pivot in how people interact with technology.

  • IAmNorRealTakeYourMeds@lemmy.worldEnglish
    16·
    19 hours ago

    that’s easy to say, but when someone is in a crisis, I would be wrong to judge then for talking to an AI (shitty terrible solution) instead of a therapist that can be unaffordable and also comes with a risk of then being terrible.

    • TimewornTraveler@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
      63·
      8 hours ago

      a terrible therapist at least has an ethics board

      a terrible therapist at least has evidence-based interventions on their side

      a terrible therapist at lest has the fact that ~80% of positive outcomes have nothing to do with the interventions or anything the therapist does besides show up and be cool (a statistic I remember quite well from grad school)

      AI has none of these things

      therapy isn’t fucking magic. it’s a relationship. you can’t have a relationship with an LLM. there’s no such thing as AI therapy, you’re just training it to tell you about CBT worksheets while you bitch about your problems like you’re in a nail salon

      • IAmNorRealTakeYourMeds@lemmy.worldEnglish
        2·
        4 hours ago

        ok.

        but the problem is that real therapy is expensive, and unaccessible, while AI is freely accessible, even though it’s shit.

        and open ai is profiting from that.

        I’m just saying the blame should be aimed at the corporations and the healthcare system, rather than someone who is desperate for help

      • Guidy@lemmy.worldEnglish
        3·
        7 hours ago

        The best therapist in the world can still end your career by causing your clearance to be revoked or rendering you unqualified for your unit’s mission.

        (Suicide is a big problem in the military, I lost a buddy to it.)

        The cheapest therapist in the world may still not be covered by your insurance. (And nothing you write in reply will alter that.)

        They should work to make AI therapy better while keeping it totally anonymous. If it were really good it would be the number one use for running a local and disconnected and air gapped LLM: perfectly private therapy with no “we just use telemetry to improve our product” bullshit.

        Then maybe a lot more men would seek help/talk about their thoughts and feelings.