Third of UK citizens have used AI for emotional support, research reveals

AI Security Institute report finds most common type of AI tech used was general purpose assistants such as ChatGPT and Amazon Alexa

A third of UK citizens have used artificial intelligence for emotional support, companionship or social interaction, according to the government’s AI security body.

The AI Security Institute (AISI) said nearly one in 10 people used systems like chatbots for emotional purposes on a weekly basis, and 4% daily.

AISI called for further research, citing the death this year of the US teenager Adam Raine, who killed himself after discussing suicide with ChatGPT.

“People are increasingly turning to AI systems for emotional support or social interaction,” AISI said in its first Frontier AI Trends report. “While many users report positive experiences, recent high-profile cases of harm underline the need for research into this area, including the conditions under which harm could occur, and the safeguards that could enable beneficial use.”