The landscape of mental health support is changing faster than many of us expected. Until recently, few would have imagined that AI would become part of everyday conversations about mental health. Today, especially among younger adults, discussing emotional struggles with AI has become increasingly common. In one of our recent studies, we found that about 1 in 3 young adults used generative AI and AI-assisted mental health chatbots to discuss their mental health-related problems. While most were occasional users, about 6% of respondents were heavy users, meaning they regularly spent hours discussing their mental health concerns through AI.

This does not mean that AI is replacing human connection altogether. Most people in our study still said they would first turn to family members or friends when struggling with their mental health. But we also saw signs that AI may already be changing how some people seek support. Among participants who had previously seen a counselor, 28% reported that they relied less on human mental health professionals after beginning to use AI for mental health-related conversations. We also found something else striking: young adults were far more likely to mention AI as a potential source of support than the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, despite years of national efforts to promote 988. To me, that highlights how many people still hesitate to seek formal sources of mental health support, even when resources are available.