‘If AI is the only place people feel heard, that’s a societal problem’ — why one charity is pushing back on mental health chatbots

As we’ve covered before on TechRadar, a growing number of people are turning to AI chatbots like ChatGPT and Gemini for something they were never really designed to do: provide mental health support.

According to new research from suicide prevention charity Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM), around 1 in 4 people in the UK are now using AI tools for mental health advice. Among Gen Z, that figure jumps to 42%, suggesting a generation increasingly comfortable opening up to chatbots rather than people.

On one level, the appeal is obvious: AI is free, instant, and always available . There are no waiting lists, no awkward conversations, and importantly, no cost barrier, at least for the basic versions. But that convenience is masking a more complicated reality.