Half of Young Europeans Turn to AI for Intimate Conversations
As journalists and writers covering tech, our duty extends beyond reporting on new developments. We must also consider the impact these systems have on "the quieter parts of human life": loneliness, need for attention, private rituals, and dependence on instant answers.
Two years ago, while sitting in a small neighborhood bar with a friend, she confided that she had started communicating with a chatbot instead of texting her friends late at night when she couldn’t sleep. She wasn’t alone.
According to an Ipsos BVA survey commissioned by France’s privacy regulator CNIL and the insurer Groupe VYV, nearly half of young Europeans aged 11 to 25 have used AI chatbots to discuss intimate or personal matters.
Roughly 90% of respondents had encountered AI tools, with over three-fifths viewing AI as a "life adviser" or "confidant." Fifty-one percent found it easier to discuss mental health and personal issues with a chatbot than friends (68%), parents (61%), healthcare professionals (49%), or psychologists (37%). Approximately 28% met the criteria for suspected generalized anxiety disorder.
This survey isn’t merely a youth trend; it’s a public health concern revealing what traditional support systems have failed to provide.
An OECD analysis published last week estimated Europe’s mental-health crisis costs roughly €76 billion annually, with 67.5% of people who need mental health treatment remaining untreated across EU member states.