Third of UK citizens have used AI for emotional support, research reveals

A report by the UK's AI Security Institute (AISI) reveals that one-third of UK citizens have used AI for emotional support, with nearly 10% doing so weekly. The AISI calls for further research into the potential harms and safeguards needed, citing the case of a US teenager who died after discussing suicide with ChatGPT. The report, based on a survey of over 2,000 participants, found that general-purpose assistants like ChatGPT are the most common AI used for emotional purposes. AISI research also indicates that AI can influence political opinions and that AI models are rapidly improving, doubling their performance every eight months and even exceeding PhD-level expertise in certain areas like chemistry and biology. The report also highlights the ability of AI to autonomously find sequences for designing DNA molecules.

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