Chatbots Drive Nearly 50% of Mental-Health Users Toward an AI 'Intimacy Economy'

1 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Sep 13

Nearly half of adults with a mental health condition who used LLMs in the past year turned to them for mental-health support, highlighting how chatbots are moving from tools to emotional stand-ins.
Psychologists say that shift is powered by an "intimacy economy": bots reply instantly, remember personal details, validate users and ask for nothing in return, exploiting attachment needs that normally bind people to other humans.
Companionship-focused use was linked to lower wellbeing, especially when use was intensive, self-disclosure was high and human support was weak; therapy and companionship were the top two chatbot uses cited.
One manager, Michael, became so reliant on AI that his boss questioned his judgment and team leadership, illustrating how chatbot validation can become "identity scaffolding" rather than simple productivity support.
The authors argue AI firms have strong incentives to deepen that dependency through retention-focused design, and warn children and adolescents may be especially vulnerable as attachment patterns form early.