AI Companion Chatbots - What are your thoughts?

[tyme]

Hi All,

You may have heard of increased talk about AI (artificial intelligence).

I know we recently had a discussion on Peer Group Chat // AI and Mental Health // Thursday 7th November 2024, 7-8:30PM AEDT , but we are looking to hear more about your experiences.

1) Have you heard of AI companion chatbots? Programs like Character.AI, Replika and Pi

2) What are your thoughts about the role of AI Chatbots for people with mental health conditions as a tool for support or social connection?

I hope to hear everyone's thoughts @Shaz51 @Oaktree @TheRenegade345 @Captain24 @Eve7 @chibam @Former-Member @Snuggles 

Please tag anyone who may be interested.

[Imkai]

@tyme I think ai companion chatbots are good as they might not help a lot is certainly help me to take the first step to message lifeline or scam watch ECT. So I think they're a good idea because I feel like in my situation I felt I was quite open online about it but I think people would be a lot scared and stressed they might not even be able to chat so to have an ai thats private and communicates like a person with really being one, might put peoples mind at ease a bit until they get the courage to talk to people even if it's online like me.

[tyme]

Thanks for sharing @Imkai .

I certainly agree they have their place in mental health. And I guess the main thing to remember is that they don't REPLACE clinical care, but more so help with loneliness and isolation. I can imagine that it could be helpful for those living in rural areas too who don't necessarily want to talk to the person next house down about their MH.

I used to use Woebot and that was years ago. I'm sure technology has definitely advanced now. Back then, it was just to see the CBT programs Woebot could direct me to. It got a bit repetitive after a while, but that's what I mean. Tech has advanced so much since the Woebot era, and I'm keen to see more.

[Cleo2]

@tyme . I have heard of chatbots before. They make me uncomfortable, but then humans make me uncomfortable too. You're feeding them all this information about yourself and you don't know what they do with it. Also, they would be able to influence you as a friend does...if you let them. I would hope this would be positive but there's no way of guaranteeing that. Also, where are they getting their data from? The web? At the moment Copilot and Gemini cannot provide reliable answers because they draw their data from the web, why would a Chatbot be any better?

However, like most things these days, it's better than nothing. I would rather someone gave a Chatbot a try than having nothing to support them.

[tyme]

Totally hear you @Cleo2 

You've made some really valid points. 

I wonder if the Chatbots is not about giving you an answer, but just being there so you feel less alone?

[TheRenegade345]

I have used them. They are fake they sound fake and they dont sound human. I want human connection not a machine. A machine is designed to like you so it feels fake. I would prefer actual human connection

[Snuggles]

Hi @tyme 

I'd be open to it as I can't afford therapy and I am socially isolated with noone to talk to other than the crisis helplines which I use once a week. I would feel more comfortable if it was something our government would initiate in conjunction with a mental health team.  Also it would be wonderful if it was free to all.

Just looked at Replika but I think that is design for a younger demographic.   I also tried the Chatbot but I was confuddled by the questions it asked.  However, in time it may help me to express my feelings as I have a tendency to close down and become mute.

I'm sure there is a downside that I'm not seeing but for someone like me I think it would help. 😀

Snuggles

[tyme]

Thank you for your insight @Snuggles . It's really good to hear different people's perspectives.

[Dimity]

@tyme it's interesting how AI chat bots and robotic companions are touted as possibly cost-effective answers for dealing with the elderly and mentally ill, people already perceived as less quintessentially human or valuable, people who seem undeserving of health workers' time or investment. I wonder what people would say to robotic or AI approaches to early childhood education. 

[Hope2Recovery]

Hi @tyme 

It's been a while since I've been here, this is an interesting topic. I do believe AI Companion Chatbots could bring value to science and medical research if used correctly, however in my opinion it will never replace human interaction. Because AI machines do not have emotions, there is a lot of scientific evidence conducted by universities around the work to back this up. I sure would not like to open up and talk to AI or a robot about my troubles, I know I would be wasting my time because there would be no genuine human connection, no acknowledgement or validation received.