On August 6, 2025, USA TODAY published an article by Amaris Encinas titled “It’s not you, it’s me. ChatGPT doesn’t want to be your therapist or friend.” The piece highlighted OpenAI’s intentional stance: ChatGPT is not designed to serve as a mental health provider or to substitute for genuine human connection. Instead, it is a tool—one that can help with information, guidance, or even light emotional support, but never as a replacement for therapy or friendship.

This raises an important question: What does this mean for people who rely on chatbots for emotional connection, especially in cultures where mental health stigma remains strong, such as in the Philippines?