One in five young people use AI chatbots for mental health advice. According to a survey by RAND, the share of 12-21-year-olds who said they used chatbots for mental health purposes jumped from 13% in early 2025 to 19% in November. And among the group, 63% said they have not confided in anyone about their use of AI for therapy. Experts suspect that AI is filling a gap in the mental health space for young people who don’t have the resources to access a real mental health professional. Still, AI is not designed specifically to navigate mental health crises, can be overly validating, and in more extreme cases can also lead vulnerable people to have “intensified delusions.” YPulse’s AI report shows that 28% of 13-17-year-olds and 40% of 18-24-year-olds use AI for health advice and diagnoses, so there’s real trust with AI handling sensitive and personal information. (NBC)
👀 Read more from YPulse: Gen Z Is Treating AI Like A Life Coach
