AI chatbots: Emotional detox or digital dependency?
Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman says AI chatbots are becoming go-to companions for people dealing with breakups, family drama, or just tough questions they don't want to ask anyone else.
On a recent podcast, Mayim Bialik's Breakdown, he explained these bots work so well because they're nonjudgmental and use gentle, nonviolent communication.
Why people are turning to chatbots:
Suleyman believes these tools can help us "spread kindness and love and detoxify ourselves," making it easier to show up for the people we care about in real life.
Still, he admits there's a risk of folks getting too attached—so he sees chatbots as supportive friends, not replacements for real therapists.
Not everyone's convinced:
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman isn't totally on board. He's worried that treating ChatGPT like a therapist could lead to legal risks or make people too dependent on bots.
The debate is still on: Are AI chatbots helpful emotional sidekicks, or could they do more harm than good?