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Infographic: Effects of patients’ AI use

infographic showing positive and negative effects of patient chatbot use

Details of infographic from APA’s 2026 Chatbots and Mental Health Survey

9 in 10 psychologists report positive and negative effects of their patients’ use of AI

Among psychologists who said their patients were using AI recreationally or as an additional mental health professional, they talked about or noticed their patients:

  • Any effects: 92%
  • Talking about their mental health with a chatbot: 71%
  • Feeling supported/validated by a chatbot: 68%
  • Having positive communication with a chatbot:49%
  • Using a chatbot to reinforce healthy copingskills: 41%
  • Developing a level of dependency on a chatbot: 36%
  • Having unhealthy communication with a chatbot: 25%
  • Developing distorted thinking or delusionsrelated to a chatbot: 15%
  • Something else: 9%