‘It’s just there on your phone’: Why millions of people are using AI for therapy

Irishtime's report on millions of people using AI for therapy, highlighting the trend of bots being repurposed for emotional support in lieu of traditional mental healthcare, marks a significant shift in how individuals interact with AI systems. This development means that website owners, particularly those in the healthcare and wellness sectors, may see an increase in AI bot traffic on their sites as users seek out emotional support and mental health resources. As a result, website owners should be prepared to manage and track AI bot interactions on their platforms, ensuring that these interactions are secure, compliant with data protection regulations, and do not compromise the user experience. To effectively manage AI bot traffic, website owners can take several actionable steps: first, review and update their llms.txt files to ensure that AI bots used for therapy and emotional support are properly identified and tracked; second, implement robust data protection measures to safeguard sensitive user information; and third, monitor AI bot interactions on their sites to identify potential trends and areas for improvement, ultimately enhancing the overall user experience.