Gen Z relies on chatgpt to vent, this is a statement by the CEO of OpenAI
Gen Z and Mental Health in the Digital Age
Most of Generation Z (Gen Z) have realized the importance of mental health. In addition, they are also actively seeking information related to mental health through various sources. Technological developments affect the way they manage mental health, including the use of tools such as artificial intelligence (AI) to express feelings.
The 2025 UMN Consulting report shows that when you feel mentally unwell, women tend to be more open in expressing their feelings, while men prefer to vent their emotions through physical activity. However, in the midst of rapid technological development, Gen Z began to change the way they manage mental health.
In this digital era, many of them make AI like ChatGPT a place to tell stories or seek support. The CEO of OpenAI, Sam Altman, expressed concern about this tendency. He said that people, especially the younger generation, are too dependent on chatgpt. Some even said that they couldn’t make a decision without telling chatgpt about everything that happened in their lives.
Altman highlights the privacy risks that arise from the habit of excessive venting to AI. He explained that conversations with AI could be asked to be submitted legally. Therefore, he emphasized the need for the same concept of privacy as when talking to other therapists or professionals.
Reasons Gen Z relies on AI
The UMN Consulting report noted that 33.17 percent of Gen Z turned to AI to support their mental health. Of the various AI-based tools, ChatGPT is the main choice, followed by Gemini, Deepseek, and Copilot. The main reason that Gen Z relies on AI is closely related to three things: convenience, cost, and control.
Many of them consider AI cheaper or even free than professional counseling. They also do not need to prepare a schedule, so they can use the service at any time. In addition, chatgpt is considered safe because it can conduct consultations anonymously, without feeling judged like when talking directly to other people.
Unfortunately, this increasing dependence is also related to the barriers to access to conventional mental health services. In Indonesia, there were 2,112 suicides between 2012 and 2023, mostly carried out by the younger generation. This figure shows the magnitude of the mental health risks faced by Gen Z.
Barriers to access to mental health services
Some of the main obstacles that Gen Z reported in accessing mental health services include feeling that their problems are not serious enough, uncomfortable talking to strangers, overpriced services, and lack of confidence in the effectiveness of mental health services.
The UMN Consulting report also suggests several strategic approaches to address this phenomenon. One of them is a hybrid ecosystem that combines digital and professional support to make it more credible. In addition, the approach must pay attention to emotional comfort so that mental support can run effectively and inclusively.
With the increasing use of AI in the field of mental health, it is important for the community and government to ensure that the service remains safe, effective, and in accordance with the principles of privacy. The younger generation needs to be empowered with the right information in order to use technology wisely.
