A bridge, not a destination: YouTube viewer perspectives on AI mental health support and human therapy

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Public sentiment towards AI mental health tools is moderately positive, with 57.93% expressing favorable views but also significant negative sentiment at 24.58%.
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Key themes identified include AI's role in addressing unmet support needs and concerns about its ability to replace human therapists.
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Commenters appreciate AI for its immediacy, low cost, and low-risk environment but resist it when it threatens empathy and privacy.
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The study highlights the importance of understanding public perceptions of AI mental health tools beyond clinical trials and structured surveys.
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Findings suggest that acceptance of AI mental health support is conditional, influenced by perceived usefulness and the nature of the task.

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