Becker's Healthcare March 18, 2025
Chatbots’ self-reported levels of “anxiety” can increase when processing emotionally charged topics, a study published March 3 in npj Digital Medicine found.
Researchers asked ChatGPT to rate its “state anxiety” using tools designed to measure anxiety in humans. Researchers then exposed the chatbot to traumatic narrative prompts. After being exposed to these stories, the chatbot reported higher levels of “anxiety.”
The researchers then provided ChatGPT with prompts designed to reduce reported anxiety. The chatbot then reported lower levels of “state anxiety,” but not a return to the baseline established before being exposed to traumatic prompts.
Some mental health professionals have raised concerns over the...
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