Daily use of AI chatbots is linked to a higher likelihood of moderate depressive symptoms, a new JAMA Network Open study finds.
Study finds daily AI chatbot use tied to higher rates of moderate depressive symptoms in U.S. adults.
Spending time chatting with AI assistants like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, or similar systems might be more than just a tech habit. A new study published in JAMA Network Open suggests that people who use AI chatbots daily are more likely to report moderate depressive symptoms compared with those who interact with them less frequently. Researchers found a roughly 30% higher odds of at least moderate depression among regular users, though they are careful to emphasize that this link is an association, not proof that chatbot use causes depression.
This finding comes from a national survey of nearly 21,000 U.S. adults conducted in 2025, where participants detailed how often they interacted with generative AI tools and completed standard mental health questionnaires.
