Commentary: AI can be more comforting than a person. Here's what humans can learn from it - CNA

Used carefully, generative artificial intelligence could help us become better at supporting one another, say psychology researchers.

A person chatting with an AI friend. (Photo: CNA) Sarah A Walker Belen Lopez-Perez Sarah A Walker & Belen Lopez-Perez 04 Oct 2026 06:00AM Bookmark Bookmark Share WhatsApp Telegram Facebook Twitter Email LinkedIn Set CNA as your preferred source on Google Add CNA as a trusted source to help Google better understand and surface our content in search results. Read a summary of this article on FAST. Get bite-sized news via a newcards interface. Give it a try. Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FAST FAST DURHAM, England: Some of us now use generative artificial intelligence (gen AI) to talk through difficult feelings. We may ask a chatbot to write an email or plan a holiday, but we also tell it that we have had a rotten day or feel anxious about a presentation.

A 2025 US survey of 1,058 people aged 12 to 21 found that 13 per cent had sought advice from gen AI when feeling sad, angry or nervous. Among those aged 18 to 21, the figure was 22 per cent. These findings suggest that turning to gen AI for emotional or mental health support is already relatively common among young people.

So is gen AI a poor substitute for a friend? Human-written replies may seem the obvious source of greater support. 

However, in some experiments, including our own, people have rated gen AI responses more highly.