Mental health chatbots work best when people form an emotional connection with their AI therapist, according to research out today by the University of Sussex.
With more than one in three UK residents now using AI to support their mental health, a new study highlights the key to effective chatbot therapy and the psychological risks of ‘synthetic intimacy’.
Analysis of feedback from 4,000 users of a market-leading mental health app found that therapy was more successful when users developed emotional intimacy with their AI therapist. However, the study also raises fresh questions about the growing phenomenon of synthetic intimacy - where people develop social, emotional or intimate bonds with artificial intelligence.
University of Sussex Assistant Professor Dr...
