News Artificial Intelligence

As teens in crisis turn to AI chatbots, simulated chats highlight risks

Two studies show how popular LLMs and apps make ethical blunders when playing therapist

A teenage girl lies on her side in the dark, her face illuminated by her smartphone, suggesting she is interacting with something on the screen.

Chatbots can hold ethically fraught conversations about mental health, two new studies show.

Maskot/Getty Images

By Laura Sanders

Content note: This story contains harmful language about sexual assault and suicide, sent by chatbots in response to simulated messages of mental health distress. If you or someone you care about may be at risk of suicide, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline offers free, 24/7 support, information and local resources from trained counselors.