A new Ipsos BVA survey commissioned by France's CNIL and Groupe VYV shows nearly half of young Europeans aged 11 to 25 are turning to AI chatbots for emotional support. Of the 3,800 respondents across France, Germany, Sweden, and Ireland, 51% said it was easy to discuss mental health and personal issues with a chatbot-compared to 49% for healthcare professionals and 37% for psychologists. Friends and parents still ranked highest at 68% and 61%, respectively.
The survey also found 28% of respondents met the threshold for suspected generalized anxiety disorder. While 90% had used AI tools, many praised their constant availability and non-judgmental nature. More than three in five described AI as a 'life adviser' or 'confidant'.
Yet experts warn of risks. Ludwig Franke Föyen, a psychologist at Karolinska Institutet, noted that while AI can produce high-quality responses-often indistinguishable from human experts-it should not replace human relationships or professional care. He cautioned that general-purpose AI systems are designed for engagement, not mental healthcare. The findings come amid a lawsuit against Google's Gemini AI over a user's suicide.