Key points

AI chatbots can offer validation and flattery ("sycophancy"), but this is not the same thing as therapy.

AI chatbots are not equipped to provide clinical judgment or manage mental health crisis situations.

Sensitive data shared with chatbots is not private and may be used to train future AI models.

An estimated 25 to 50 percent of people now turn to general-purpose artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude for emotional support and " therapy ," even though they were not designed for this purpose. Others spend hours with AI companions on platforms like Character.ai and Replika, sharing intimate personal details.

As I recently testified before members of Congress , the very qualities that make AI chatbots appealing— being available, access

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