Openai Study Finds Links Between Chatgpt Use And Loneliness

Those who spent more time typing or speaking with ChatGPT each day tended to report higher levels of emotional dependence on, and problematic use of, the chatbot, as well as heightened levels of loneliness, according to research released on Friday. The findings were part of a pair of studies conducted by researchers at the two organisations and have not been peer reviewed.

The launch of ChatGPT in late 2022 helped kick off a frenzy for generative artificial intelligence. Since then, people have used chatbots for everything from coding to ersatz therapy sessions. As developers like OpenAI push out more sophisticated models and voice features that make them better at mimicking the ways humans communicate, there is arguably more potential for forming parasocial relationships with these chatbots.

In recent months, there have been renewed concerns about the potential emotional harms of this technology, particularly among younger users and those with mental health issues. Character Technologies was sued last year after its chatbot allegedly encouraged suicidal ideation in conversations with minors, including one 14-year-old who took his own life.

The researchers found that people who tend to get more emotionally attached in human relationships and are more trusting of the chatbot were more likely to feel lonelier and more emotionally dependent on ChatGPT. The researchers didn't find a difference in outcomes between users who interacted with versions of the chatbot that used a more or less engaging voice, they said.In the second study, researchers used software to analyse three million user conversations with ChatGPT and also surveyed people about how they interact with the chatbot. They found very few people actually use ChatGPT for emotional conversations.

It's still early days for this body of research and remains unclear how much chatbots may cause people to feel lonelier verses how much people prone to a sense of loneliness and emotional dependence may have those feelings exacerbated by chatbots.