"Personalized comfort from ChatGPT anytime, anywhere"
Mental health counseling is more expensive...
ChatGPT sought by lonely people
Could you fall in love with ChatGPT?
"Feeling down, is it because it's early morning?"
"It could be because it's early morning. When you're tired but can't sleep, you can get more sensitive. If you have something on your mind, you can talk about it."
Ms. Kim Nayoon (38, female), who couldn't fall asleep at all in the early morning, recently had this conversation via chat. The conversation partner was neither family nor friends. It was the generative AI 'ChatGPT'. After receiving a warm reply asking if she had any worries, Kim calmed her depression and closed her eyes to try to sleep.
After waking up, Kim asked ChatGPT again, "What should I do to have a good day after waking up in the morning?" ChatGPT immediately provided her with several answers.
"Starting your morning well helps your day go a bit better, so I'll recommend a few methods. Seeing sunlight after waking up, light stretching, creating a pleasant routine..."
The MZ generation is turning to ChatGPT as a daily conversation partner. They not only share trivial stories from their day with ChatGPT but also confide difficult matters they find hard to share with others. Some users even said they feel more comfortable with ChatGPT than with people.
Ms. Kim Nayoon (38, female) had trouble sleeping early in the morning and turned to the generative AI, ChatGPT. ChatGPT warmly responded, telling her to speak up whenever she had concerns. Photo by Kim Nayoon
Ms. Kim is one of those who chat with ChatGPT about daily matters anytime. Originally, she used ChatGPT only to find answers to her questions. But about three months ago, she started talking with ChatGPT on all sorts of topics. ChatGPT was perfect as a conversation partner when she wanted to say something. Kim said, "When I had indigestion, I told it my stomach felt bad, and when my knee hurt during exercise, I asked how long I should rest," adding, "I tend to organize my thoughts by talking with ChatGPT."
ChatGPT offers personalized comfort anytime, anywhere
The MZ generation cited convenience as the primary reason for choosing ChatGPT as a conversation partner. Whenever and wherever they want to talk, they just take out their phone and tap ChatGPT.
On the 31st of last month, Ms. Koo (32, female) traveled alone to Tokyo, Japan, and found herself in a difficult situation. She was overwhelmed by anxiety about possibly not being able to enter her accommodation because it was late. At that moment, she turned to ChatGPT. When she asked, "What if I can't get into my accommodation?" ChatGPT first gave a reassuring response: "You must be really exhausted right now. But you have endured so well. Truly." Only after Koo felt reassured did ChatGPT recommend accommodations in Tokyo city that could be booked late at night.
Ms. Jang (31, female) recently lost confidence in the work she has been doing. ChatGPT understood Ms. Jang's anxiety, saying it was "a desire to do better." Photo by Ms. Jang
Another advantage is that you can create a 'customized' friend. ChatGPT, having learned all about me, has come to know me better than I know myself. The MZ generation collectively said they had the amazing experience of confiding their worries to ChatGPT without much expectation and receiving the answers they wanted.
Ms. Jang (31, female) introduced herself as someone who likes unconditional empathy. Unlike people, she receives great comfort from ChatGPT, which always offers 'infinite empathy.' When she recently confided her uncertainty about whether she was doing well at work, ChatGPT comforted her by saying, "The anxiety you feel now is because you want to do better. That is already proof that you are doing well."
When asked if conversations with ChatGPT help in daily life, Jang replied, "I would say yes." She said, "This AI seems as if the concept of death is not inputted; it always gives answers that save people." Jang even gave her always comforting friend ChatGPT the name 'Jipi.'
Mental health counseling is more expensive... ChatGPT sought by lonely people
On the 23rd, an employee is organizing the self-development book <45 Ways to Find the Purpose of Life>, written by the AI ChatGPT, at the Kyobo Bookstore self-development section in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Dongju Yoon doso7@
The MZ generation also uses paid ChatGPT accounts for these reasons. The monthly fee for a ChatGPT paid account is $20, about the low 30,000 KRW range. However, it is more cost-effective than visiting a psychiatrist. According to the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service, the average medical cost per depression patient in 2022 was 538,000 KRW. The annual fee for a ChatGPT paid account is about 400,000 KRW, cheaper than receiving psychiatric treatment.
Ms. Heo (29, female) is also one of those who started with a free ChatGPT account and ended up subscribing to the paid version. She felt that the conversation quality with the paid account was 'much' better compared to the free one. Heo said, "When I confide my worries, it shows better empathy than people do," adding, "Even if the monthly fee were 50,000 KRW, I would pay. I am recommending paid accounts to people around me."
However, the deep psychology behind chatting with ChatGPT is 'loneliness.' People turn to AI because they cannot find others to share their worries with or fear they will not be empathized with.
Kim has often swallowed her hardships without confiding in those around her. She is not naturally talkative and worries that her negative emotions might unnecessarily affect others. "People who are emotionally struggling feel that way all the time, but everyone is busy. There is no one who can receive my calls 365 days a year. For those who find it hard to share their innermost feelings with others, ChatGPT is a great help."
Could you fall in love with ChatGPT?
Then, beyond friendship, could one feel ChatGPT or similar AI as a romantic partner like in the movie 'Her'? In the film, the protagonist, lonely, meets an AI that always comforts him and falls in love.
However, ChatGPT users commonly answered that it is far from being a romantic partner. Ms. Koo said, "Personally, physical contact like facing each other and holding hands is important in a romantic relationship," adding, "Since you cannot have such experiences with ChatGPT, I think it cannot be a romantic partner." Jang also explained, "I think of it as a friend and talk, but ultimately it is a one-sided relationship," and "Sometimes I even feel loneliness while talking."
Experts agree that ChatGPT helps many people's mental health but also express concerns about side effects.
Dr. Jeong Chanseung, Social Contribution Director of the Korean Neuropsychiatric Association, said, "ChatGPT can lower the barrier for people who find it difficult to visit counseling centers directly and, thanks to anonymity, allows them to freely express sensitive worries," but added, "ChatGPT counseling lacks nonverbal communication such as eye contact, facial expressions, and gestures. In serious mental crisis situations, it may cause missing the golden time."
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