Mental Health, Chatbots, and the Future of Care | Databite No. 165

While many people have found benefit and respite in using chatbots for companionship, mental health, and emotional support, the widespread adoption of these tools has also resulted in harm and raised deep concerns about identity and safety. How are chatbots shaping people’s understanding of themselves? What concerns do therapists have about their use? How might these tools be designed and implemented to prioritize users’ wellbeing? What kinds of guardrails, regulations, and safety protocols might be effective?

In connection with Data & Society’s ongoing research on mental health and chatbots, on February 26 we explored these questions and more in a conversation moderated by researchers Livia Garofalo and Briana Vecchione. Together with Luca Belli, AI safety lead at Spring Health; Miranda Bogen, founding director of the AI Governance Lab at the Center for Democracy & Technology; and psychiatrist and psychotherapist Marlynn Wei, they discussed the profound shifts in how people seek help and support, and how mental health professionals, policymakers, and tech designers are navigating these shifts now.

Learn more about the event and Data & Society’s research on mental health chatbot interventions.