A U.S. survey in 2024 estimated that about a quarter of adults use AI chatbots for mental health, often due to access barriers.
Researchers do not know much about how people actually use general-purpose AI chatbots for mental health. To fill that gap, the team surveyed U.S. adults about whether they use these tools for emotional support, learning therapy skills, or supplementing existing therapy.
The survey found that 24% of participants use AI chatbots for mental health and that users were more likely to be young, male, and Black, and to report poorer mental health. The authors estimate that, in 2024, 14–18 million U.S. adults may be using these systems for mental health and call for monitoring of potential harms and benefits.
How many people use
In a U.S. survey of 1,871 adults conducted from August to October 2024, 24% reported using general-purpose AI chatbots (large language models) for mental health. Those users were disproportionately young, male, and Black, and reported poorer mental health. Participants said they used the tools for emotional support, for learning therapy skills, and to supplement existing therapy. They also reported difficulty accessing traditional treatment and said the chatbots are free, convenient, and available. Using population estimates for AI chatbot use, the authors conservatively estimate that 14–18 million U.S. adults may have been using AI chatbots for mental health as of 2024.
