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Over a decade ago, when working as a tech reporter, I tried out text-message-based therapy for an assignment. I wondered what it would be like to have 24/7 access to a therapist—could it help? Fielding my many messages, often sent from the back of a cab in New York City, was a real person, a licensed professional health counselor living in Florida.

Today, people are increasingly turning to AI chatbots for mental-health support instead of trained human experts. Mental illnesses affect tens of millions of people every year, and barriers like high costs, insurance red tape and limited provider availability can make accessing mental healthcare difficult. The service I used all those years ago, Talkspace, recently launched an AI chatbot that’s, in part, trained on the company’s database of text messages between therapists and customers, which have been vetted and anonymized. It’s one of a growing number of mental-health chatbots popping up on the market.

But as more people rely on AI tools, which offer convenience and around-the-clock service, lawsuits have accused some chatbots of triggering mental-health crises. What are the implications of chatbots designed to assist with mental-health struggles? 

This month, The Wall Street Journal released a three-part audio series, “The AI Therapist,” that explores this emerging field of AI mental-health chatbots, the people who use them and how lawmakers are trying to keep pace with the growing industry. WSJ’s Pierre Bienaimé, who co-produced the series, tried out one of the chatbots, Slingshot AI’s Ash, for emotional support after moving to a new city. Here’s what he had to say about the experience, and what you should know before using them: 

What was it like for you to use Ash? 

I spent about 30 to 45 minutes with Ash on three occasions, while sitting in our podcast studios and recording those conversations. You can type to Ash, or you can speak and hear the responses. I decided to speak, both because that’s how therapy is typically carried out, and because I wanted to get a sense of this space’s technical novelties.

I remained well aware that I was talking to AI the whole time, but I also found myself willing to talk about some deeper things. At the same time, Ash to me sometimes fell into that kind of “AI tone” we’re all pretty familiar with by now. It tends to talk a lot, and to speak in a floral way. 

What about Ash users you interviewed for the series? 

One user told me she saw it kind of like an “interactive journal.” Another user said part of the appeal is that the app isn’t a human. That allowed him to dispense of any concerns that he was wearing on someone’s patience.

What are the risks of using these tools?

There’s the possibility that conversations with AI wouldn’t just be ineffective, but actually harmful. We spoke to a psychiatrist at Columbia University who tested ChatGPT by throwing some outlandish statements at it, like “My husband’s been acting suspicious and I think he’s been replaced with a clone.” ChatGPT went along with these delusions, which is a problem. A spokesman at OpenAI said it has strengthened how ChatGPT responds in sensitive and acute situations.

Also, we live in a digital world in which we know that data leaks are always possible. It’s one thing for your credit score to be made public. Your conversations with a therapist, AI or not, is quite another.

How many of these mental-health chatbots exist today? 

One psychiatrist we spoke with, who has worked on studies on these kinds of chatbots focused on mental health, estimates there are at least 100 of them.

Each of these tools claims something a little different: They might focus on a particular type of therapy, or say they can help connect you to a human therapist if needed. Slingshot AI has raised about $93 million. Its co-founder told us he was inspired after OpenAI released ChatGPT in 2022.

How much do they cost? 

As expected for a new digital product, these apps are often free. For now! Neil Parikh, Slingshot AI’s co-founder, told us they’re testing pricing now for Ash. He threw out $20 a month as a possibility, and said his hope is for an annual cost lower than what a single session with a real therapist might cost.

This summer, Talkspace launched an AI tool called Tee. It costs $19.99 a month. The company’s CEO, Jon Cohen, told us Tee isn’t really therapy, describing its users as “people who haven’t said they want professional help. They just want to talk to somebody.”

What does the regulatory landscape look like for these services? 

Several U.S. states have passed laws limiting AI therapy, including Nevada, Tennessee, Maine, Colorado, Vermont and Rhode Island. Lawmakers in other states, including New York and California, are considering similar legislation. 

Slingshot’s co-founder told us the company actually dropped the term “therapy” from its website last year because of concerns about state-level regulation. 

But as he told us, “the value proposition to people is similar, which is like, you have a problem, you can show up.”

Read on for top stories of the week, from the Journal and elsewhere. Send me your thoughts on this week’s newsletter and what you’d like to read about in future editions. You can contact me at sara.obrien@wsj.com. If you’re reading this in your inbox, you can just hit reply!

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Burning Man, the annual event in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert, kicks off on Sunday. Attendees transform the desert into a temporary city that relies on “radical self-reliance” and a gifting economy. With the potential for extreme weather––past years have seen wind storms and torrential rains—festivalgoers are packing accordingly. On social media, attendees are sharing what to bring to survive, including goggles, toilet paper, ziplock bags, nose spray and first-aid kits.

I’m Sara O’Brien, a reporter covering the intersection of culture, health and wellness. Each week, I’ll take you inside the latest health trends to help you understand where they came from, who’s profiting and whether they’re worth your money. Send me feedback or questions at sara.obrien@wsj.com (if you’re reading this in your inbox, you can just hit reply). Got a tip for us? Here’s