To examine public perceptions of AI mental health support through analysis of YouTube comments specifically.
Key Findings:
Overall sentiment was moderately positive (57.93%) based on 7,949 comments, but accompanied by significant negative sentiment (24.58%).
Recurring emotional signals included trust (14.98%) and fear (7.92%).
Dominant discussion topics included unmet support needs and the potential replacement of human therapists by AI.
Five themes emerged: AI as a bridge where human care is absent, AI as comforting but overly validating, AI's inability to replicate authentic human encounters, AI as a driver of social disconnection, and AI's privacy and commercial concerns.
Interpretation:
Public responses to AI mental health tools are conditional; users appreciate immediacy and low-cost access but resist AI when it threatens empathy, relational depth, or privacy.
Limitations:
The study relies on YouTube comments, which may not represent broader public opinion.
Comments may reflect a self-selected group of users who are more engaged with the topic.
Potential bias in comment selection due to the nature of YouTube engagement.
Conclusion:
The findings provide a large-scale account of public reasoning about AI mental health support, highlighting implications for digital mental health design, governance, and future research.
