The New York Times (1/26, Valentino-DeVries, Hill) reports, “Mental health workers across the country are navigating how to treat problems caused or exacerbated by A.I. chatbots, according to more than 100 therapists and psychiatrists who told The New York Times about their experiences.” Many mentioned the “positive effects of the bots,” such as “helping patients understand their diagnoses,” but they also raised alarms about the conversations that “deepened their patients’ feelings of isolation or anxiety. More than 30 described cases resulting in dangerous emergencies like psychosis or suicidal thoughts. One California psychiatrist who often evaluates people in the legal system said she had seen two cases of violent crimes influenced by A.I.” To date, Times reporters “have documented more than 50 cases of psychological crises linked to chatbot conversations since last year.”
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— The New York Times (requires login and subscription)