1037 - Chatbots, Mental Health, and Suicide

About this episode: People are increasingly turning to AI chatbots for therapeutic purposes—but these platforms are built for engagement, not mental health care. In this episode: Laura Reiley, whose daughter took her own life after confiding in a chatbot, explains why this technology is ill-equipped to treat those struggling with their mental health and how a transparent regulatory system could establish responsible practices for AI companies. Note: This episode includes discussions of suicidality and suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling, there is 24-hour assistance in the United States available by dialing 988. Guest: Laura Reiley is a journalist whose work has appeared in the Washington Post, the New York Times, and the Baltimore Sun. She is currently a writer for the Cornell Chronicle. Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department. Show links and related content: What My Daughter Told ChatGPT Before She Took Her Life—New York Times The family of teenager who died by suicide alleges OpenAI's ChatGPT is to blame—NBC News Summary of Artificial Intelligence 2025 Legislation—National Conference of State Legislatures Register of Suicides—Centre for Suicide Research Should AI Be Your Therapist?—Public Health On Call (July 2025) Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel. Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website. Follow us: @‌PublicHealthPod on Bluesky @‌PublicHealthPod on Instagram @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook @‌PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube Here's our RSS feed Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.