){kind=logo}
){kind=icon}
){kind=logo}
){kind=icon}
ChatGPT has been a star topic lately and with good reason. The articles we usually relate this chatbot to are topics that go from composing emails through prompts to the threat of plagiarism posed to schools; however, the platform has also infiltrated the area of mental health.
ChatGPT launched in November 2022 as an artificial intelligence chatbot created to interact with people in dialogue. It can solve mathematical problems, present information on a specific topic, or review programming codes in seconds.
What is striking is that now users can utilize ChatGPT as therapy, a purpose not developed for this program. Although there are benefits to using it this way, there are significant aspects to consider. First of all, ChatGPT is accessible every day, at any time; there is no need to call a doctor’s office, schedule an appointment, and arrive at the agreed place and date. This chatbot is available just a few keyboard keys away, ready to answer instantly. This technology does not get tired or won’t notice that the time for the session is about to end. All of this is available from the comfort of your home.
Also, the chatbot can be a portal for people who need to talk about sensitive topics without revealing their identity, creating a space to vent and feel heard (or read, in this case) anonymously. Also, opening an account on ChatGPT is still free.
Despite the tool’s easy accessibility, we must consider that there is no direct and responsible control over the content quality provided to its users. “Even if someone finds the technology helpful, that does not mean it is guiding them in the right direction,” says Margaret Mitchell, scientific ethics director for Hugging Face. She means that even if the person is comfortable with the chatbot’s response, it is probably not granting the diagnosis and treatment that a true professional would provide.
Another aspect to think about is that at the end of the day, ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence based on algorithms; a group of people has trained it for information purposes. It lacks complex emotions and human experiences, which can cause misunderstandings; it cannot facilitate the precise understanding that can develop in a conversation between humans.
In addition, although a chatbot can save past chats, it cannot provide continuity from previous sessions as a real person would, making the user repeat everything if they want to benefit from a continuous conversation.
Moreover, corresponding to any of our privacy and security considerations on the internet, the operators of OpenAI, creators of ChatGPT, likely will see your conversations and possibly use your information to continue training the chatbot.
Artificial intelligence still has a long way to go in the mental health sector. Although technology development is highly advanced, there are still challenges and details to improve so it can be used correctly. Almost 800 million people have some form of mental illness worldwide, so developing these technologies is a big step for those who do not have access to the appropriate resources to care for themselves.
In the framework of mental health month, it is essential to emphasize that while ChatGPT can be a tool that can help us find comfort momentarily, it should never replace the interactions we can have with family members or friends, let alone replace a professional. Please remember that you’re not alone in case you need help, reach out to a friend or family member if you’re not feeling well and take care of yourself properly.
Translation by Daniel Wetta
){kind=icon}
){kind=icon}
This article from Observatory of the Institute for the Future of Education may be shared under the terms of the license CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 
)