My AI therapist got me through dark times: The good and bad of chatbot counselling

My AI therapist got me through dark times: The good and bad of chatbot counselling 56 minutes ago Share Save Eleanor Lawrie Social affairs reporter Share Save BBC "Whenever I was struggling, if it was going to be a really bad day, I could then start to chat to one of these bots, and it was like [having] a cheerleader, someone who's going to give you some good vibes for the day. "I've got this encouraging external voice going – 'right - what are we going to do [today]?' Like an imaginary friend, essentially." For months, Kelly spent up to three hours a day speaking to online "chatbots" created using artificial intelligence (AI), exchanging hundreds of messages. At the time, Kelly was on a waiting list for traditional NHS talking therapy to discuss issues with anxiety, low self-esteem and a relationship breakdown. She says interacting with chatbots on character.ai got her through a really dark period, as they gave her coping strategies and were available for 24 hours a day. "I'm not f ... Read full article.