1 in 2 young Europeans confide in chatbots. More than confide in their psychologist.
Survey: nearly half of young Europeans use AI chatbots for emotional support
A survey of 3,800 young people aged 11 to 25 — across France, Germany, Sweden, and Ireland — found that nearly one in two had used an AI chatbot to discuss intimate or personal matters. For comparison, only 37% said they found it easy to talk to a psychologist.
The survey was commissioned by France's privacy watchdog CNIL and the insurer Groupe VYV. It found 51% of respondents said it was "easy" to discuss mental health with a chatbot. That's more than said the same about healthcare professionals (49%) and considerably more than said the same about psychologists (37%). About 28% of those surveyed met the threshold for suspected generalized anxiety disorder. More than three in five described AI as a "life adviser" or a "confidant."
The constant availability is most of the draw. No appointments. No visible reaction on someone's face. The chatbot is always there.
A psychologist at Stockholm's Karolinska Institutet warned: "If someone turns to a chatbot instead of speaking to a parent, a friend, or a mental health professional, that is a concern. We do not want technology to make people feel more alone."