Hello, how can I help you today? Controversies surrounding the use of artificial intelligence for therapy and psychological support
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11606/issn.2525-3123.gis.2025.231267Keywords:
Anthropology, Human-machine, Artificial intelligence, Responsibility, CTSAbstract
In this article, we propose a reflection on the relationship between humans and machines, based on the controversies surrounding the use of generative AI systems, particularly ChatGPT, for therapy and psychological support. We used the Reddit forum platform as a privileged research site, reflecting on the ways AI is instrumentalized and the lived and imagined possibilities of human-machine relationships. The empirical work was articulated with specialized literature from anthropology, psychology, and social studies of science and technology related to the topic of interactions between humans and AI systems for psychological support and therapy. In this context, we argue that science fiction exert a significant influence on how AI models are trained, imagined, and experienced by users, directing us toward the relevance of the issue of responsibility and the ethical dilemmas associated with the uses of AI.
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