Though emotional interactions with chatbots may provide some “potential benefits” — the authors cite “short-term reductions in loneliness and mood improvement” — they argue that any possible benefits exist alongside widely-reported “adverse outcomes” ranging from “emotional dependence” to the exacerbation of existing illnesses or symptoms to self-harm.
I wish psychiatric drugs would come under the same scrutiny.
Yes, but the trials are relatively short, about 8 weeks. Just long enough for the effects to kick in but not long enough for results of brain adaptation to kick in, nor any of the longer term side effects.
But chatbots didn’t go through any trials, they were just shipped and people started using them. And this excerpt doesn’t say when their adverse effect become noticeable so it could be just couple of weeks.
Are you reading the paragraph I quoted? I’m saying I wish people would look past short-term positive results to see what happens over months or years. Whether or not chatbots are subject to the rigors of federally-administered clinical trials is not the point.
I wish psychiatric drugs would come under the same scrutiny.
I’m pretty sure all drugs go through trials and report adverse effects. Don’t they?
Yes, but the trials are relatively short, about 8 weeks. Just long enough for the effects to kick in but not long enough for results of brain adaptation to kick in, nor any of the longer term side effects.
But chatbots didn’t go through any trials, they were just shipped and people started using them. And this excerpt doesn’t say when their adverse effect become noticeable so it could be just couple of weeks.
Are you reading the paragraph I quoted? I’m saying I wish people would look past short-term positive results to see what happens over months or years. Whether or not chatbots are subject to the rigors of federally-administered clinical trials is not the point.