I’ve turned AI into my therapist. The results were pretty disquieting

As part of our series AI for the People, our resident AI skeptic Rhik Samadder agreed to put his life in AI’s hands. This week: therapy

It’s Sunday morning, and I type my feelings into the chatbox, too wound-up to stop.

“I’ve become a carer to my 82-year-old mother,” I write. “Every day brings new problems. I help with hospital appointments, finances, gardening, shopping, home repairs, the council, insurance companies, letters, emails, endless IT problems …”

I stop. She’s just next door, and it feels like a betrayal to be saying any of this. At least when I was in therapy, I could go to someone’s office to wail.

I take a breath, and continue. “I’m an only child, my father died some time ago, and there’s no one else to help. But I’m exhausted. I snap, and shout, then struggle with guilt. I’m resentful, irritable, and I love her so much. Please help me.”