ChatGPT Use Could Correlate With Higher Levels of Loneliness

Certain types of ChatGPT usage might be linked with higher levels of loneliness, according to new joint research papers from OpenAI and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

However, the results depended on what users were using ChatGPT for. The studies found it was “personal conversations” with the chatbot, which included more emotional expression, that were correlated with loneliness among users.

Users’ emotional makeup going into the experiment was also found to be a key factor. These negative effects were more common among participants who had a stronger tendency toward attachment in relationships and those who “viewed the AI as a friend that could fit in their personal life.”

Extended daily use of these types of “personal conversations” was also associated with worse outcomes, as per the studies. However, the research found that these types of emotional conversations were a fairly niche use case for ChatGPT, and not something employed by the majority of users.

The conclusions were drawn from two separate studies: a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) carried out by MIT, in which 1,000 participants used ChatGPT over four weeks, and an automated analysis of nearly 40 million ChatGPT interactions conducted by OpenAI.

More and more attention is being directed toward the negative impacts of conversational chatbots on mental health, as several high-profile cases have emerged. In October 2024, a Florida mother sued Character.AI, alleging that the company’s chatbot technology played a part in her 14-year-old son’s death by suicide.

Meanwhile, some countries have already taken regulatory action to prevent the potential impact of chatbots on mental health. Two years ago, the Italian government ordered San Francisco-based AI chatbot firm Replika—which specializes in virtual friendship—to stop processing Italians’ data because of the risks it could pose to vulnerable people. 

On the other side of the coin, a considerable amount of research is being devoted to assessing the potential of how chatbots can be used for therapy or to improve mental health. Though the idea of AI therapists has so far proved controversial, some studies have indicated potential benefits of using chatbots in the treatment of depression, at least in the short term.

About Will McCurdy

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I’m a reporter covering weekend news. Before joining PCMag in 2024, I picked up bylines in BBC News, The Guardian, The Times of London, The Daily Beast, Vice, Slate, Fast Company, The Evening Standard, The i, TechRadar, and Decrypt Media.

I’ve been a PC gamer since you had to install games from multiple CD-ROMs by hand. As a reporter, I’m passionate about the intersection of tech and human lives. I’ve covered everything from crypto scandals to the art world, as well as conspiracy theories, UK politics, and Russia and foreign affairs.

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