Emotional Support Robots Risk Youth Mental Health
A recent study shows that children and teenagers using AI-supported chatbots for emotional support are linked to higher levels of mental health issues, especially feelings of loneliness, lack of social support, and heightened emotional responses. About 21% of students in Ontario, Canada, use these technologies for emotional reasons, and they are up to twice as likely to exhibit severe psychological symptoms, with a stronger impact observed on girls and ethnic minorities. Warnings have been issued that over-reliance on these tools could weaken essential human support and increase psychological risks if used as a complete substitute for traditional therapy, emphasizing the importance of using AI tools as an aid alongside professional mental health support.
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