More and more people are turning to AI when they feel stressed or worried. Researchers at Leiden University studied how and why people use chatbots for emotional support. Their conclusion: AI meets a real need, but also raises serious concerns.
If you're struggling in the middle of the night, you can't call your therapist-but you can message a chatbot. Talking about your feelings to a machine may still seem unusual, but is now increasingly common.
'People are looking for support when they feel overwhelmed,' researcher Natalia Amat Lefort explains. And chatbots are available 24/7, non-judgmental and often free.
Who uses AI as a listening ear?
The researchers surveyed 4,600 participants across several European countries, asking whether they use AI for emotional support and why. Participants also shared prompts, offering insight into real conversations with AI. 'We wanted to understand how people actually use these systems,' Amat Lefort explains.
The study shows that most people use AI to cope with stress and anxiety. Relationship issues are also common. 'We saw many prompts like: "I'm having issues with my partner, what should I do?"' says researcher Flor Miriam Plaza del Arco. She conducted the research together via Amat Lefort, Mert Yazan and Amanda Cercas Curry.
Chatbots are available 24/7, non-judgmental and often free.
Not everyone is convinced
Use varies across countries: adoption is higher in the US and UK, while countries like the Netherlands and France are more skeptical. 'In Europe, people tend to be more cautious about sharing personal information,' Plaza del Arco explains.
Interestingly, people with higher incomes are more likely to use and trust AI. 'We expected AI to make support more accessible for everyone,' Amat Lefort says. According to the researchers, this difference may relate to earlier adoption of new technologies and higher digital literacy. Besides higher incomes, the researchers found that users aged 25-44, married and religious are more likely to adopt and positively perceive AI for emotional support.
We need to learn how to have hard conversations
The findings highlight a clear need for safe spaces to share emotions. 'People want to express themselves without being judged,' Amat Lefort says.
Psychotherapist and assistant professor Kelly Ziemer (not involved in the study) recognises this in her practice. According to her, many people turn to AI not just because it is accessible, but because real conversations feel difficult. 'People often don't feel they have the skills or emotional capacity to have hard conversations,' she explains. 'It can feel awkward to tell someone your feelings were hurt.'
AI offers a safe alternative-but also a risk. 'If people mainly process emotions with a chatbot, they may avoid developing the skills needed to engage with others,' Ziemer warns. Learning to have uncomfortable but meaningful conversations is essential for relationships and personal growth.
'If answers are always immediate, we may lose the ability to tolerate not knowing'
How to handle uncertainty and be okay with it
Researchers stress that AI cannot replace professional support. 'These systems were not designed to provide emotional care,' Plaza del Arco says.
Chatbots may also be overly agreeable, which can reinforce users' existing thoughts and create dependency. In serious situations, they may fail to recognise when real help is needed.
Ziemer adds that constant availability may affect how people handle uncertainty. 'If answers are always immediate, we may lose the ability to tolerate not knowing,' she says. 'But in real relationships, we don't get instant responses. We need to be able to sit with that uncertainty and be okay with it.'
Staying critical
AI can be helpful, but should be used with care. 'It offers support, but doesn't replace human connection,' Plaza del Arco says, which Ziemer confirms. As Amat Lefort concludes: 'AI can help in the moment, but people should always stay critical of what it tells them.'
