Digital Life · AI
AI chatbots and mental health — the real risks
The Consumer Federation of America's coalition complaint on AI chatbots posing as therapists, and what to know before using one.
Consumer Federation of America8 min read
A coalition of consumer-protection and mental health organizations filed a 2024 complaint asking state attorneys general and the FTC to investigate AI chatbots that present themselves as licensed mental health providers. The complaint is the clearest catalog of the specific harms documented to date.
If you use an AI chatbot as part of your mental health practice, the useful posture is: treat it as journaling that talks back, not as a clinician — and never use it in crisis.
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A note on this article
Mental Hum publishes general education, not medical advice. If something here reflects your own experience, please consider speaking to a clinician. If you are in crisis, call or text 988.