| AI as emotional support
Across age groups, but especially young people, AI tools are becoming a primary source of emotional support. They are available at any hour, respond instantly, and create a sense of privacy that traditional clinical settings have struggled to match. For someone that’s nervous or hesitant to speak to someone, that can sound pretty appealing. A recent study found that 13% of adolescents and teenagers in the US (approximately 5.4 million individuals) have already used AI for mental health advice. Of those 5.4 million users, more than 65% engage at least monthly. What starts as curiosity becomes routine. People return to these tools, share personal details, and begin to rely on them during difficult moments. In many cases, those interactions take on the shape of a relationship. But without clinical judgement
AI systems are designed to be responsive and affirming, but without clinical judgment, that can lead to reinforcing harmful or inaccurate beliefs. For individuals dealing with more serious conditions such as psychosis or severe mood disorders, that kind of feedback can be destabilizing rather than supportive . The line, then, is not just about specific tasks like diagnosis or treatment planning. It is about severity, trajectory, and context. When symptoms begin to interfere with daily functioning, when progress stalls, or when conditions become more complex, care requires a level of interpretation and accountability that AI alone cannot provide. At that point, clinician involvement is not optional. It is essential. A more responsible model
AI can support care behind the scenes by helping clinicians track changes between visits, identify patterns, and surface insights that make treatment more proactive and informed. Used this way, it strengthens care without becoming the source of it . As these tools continue to evolve, maintaining that boundary will be critical. Not to limit innovation, but to ensure it is applied in ways that are safe, effective, and grounded in the realities of patient care. — By MedCity Influencer Paul Kim |
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