Most people are familiar with the use of website chatbots to assist consumers with questions that arise when navigating online, including activities like booking travel, researching issues, and other common virtual endeavors.Researchers have already been actively exploring the use of artificial intelligence chatbots within digital mental health interventions.
Yet a growing number of people are finding support from artificial counselors — to whom some of them feel more comfortable disclosing explosive, embarrassing, shameful, or other highly sensitive details.Yang Cheng and Hua Jiang in a study: "AI‐powered Mental Health Chatbots" examined the motivations for using chatbot support after mass shootings.
In their research, Cheng and Jiang surveyed 1,114 participants in the United States who used chatbot services from top healthcare companies, investigating how AI shapes individual motivation, communication, and engagement behavior designed to ameliorate issues related to mental health. They also noted that according to a social network analysis of a data set on Twitter as well as research findings from qualitative content analysis of expert interviews, chatbots are apparently able to be widely applied by emergency management organizations to interact with members of the public on social media platforms.
As we continue to follow the evolution of alternative therapies, we are reminded that we can never replace the importance of human contact, because AI can never replicate the chemistry, connection, and rapport developed through interpersonal contact.