People using AI for therapy are starting to see it as less of a tool and more like a 'small God' or a spiritual guide.
In a cross-cultural study of AI users seeking emotional help, researchers found that users don't just anthropomorphize the AI as a human-like friend; they frequently elevate it to the level of a divine or unbounded entity. This represents a fundamental shift in how humans relate to technology, moving from 'software' to 'spirituality.'
“It feels like a small God”: A Thematic Analysis of Cross-Cultural Imaginations of Generative AI Among Users Seeking Emotional and Mental Health Support
PsyArXiv · tw6vc_v1
Introduction: Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is increasingly used for emotional and mental support (EMS), a self-help process in which users often report developing perceptions of GenAI as being empathic and friend-like. These processes highlighted the possibility that human beings develop imaginations of GenAI chatbots that may reflect interpersonal needs and desires with important ethical implications. The objective of this study is to systematically explore, thematically organize,