After a bad day, many of us instinctively reach out to someone we trust. But what happens when no one is available? Or when fear of judgement keeps us from opening up? In a time when loneliness is on the rise and emotional support can be hard to access, could artificial intelligence (AI) offer a new kind of support?

This question motivated SMU School of Social Sciences PhD student Hu Meilan to explore whether AI chatbots could serve as a medium for venting emotions. With AI tools becoming more conversational, her research aimed to understand how effective they are compared to a more traditional form of emotional expression: journaling.

The study: Chatbot vs journal

Published in Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being, Meilan’s study involved 150 undergraduate participants who each experienced two experimental conditions: venting to a chatbot (Snapchat's My AI) and expressive writing in a journal. The conditions were spaced one week apart to minimise crossover effects.

Participants were asked to recall and describe a frustrating interpersonal experience. In the chatbot condition, they conversed with My AI for 10 minutes. In the journaling condition, they typed their reflections into a Word document.

Emotional outcomes were assessed after each session. Measures included negative affect (divided into high, medium, and low-arousal emotions), perceived stress, loneliness, and perceived social support.
 

AI’s impact on emotional arousal

The study found that venting to an AI chatbot significantly reduced high- and medium-arousal negative emotions such as anger, fear, and frustration compared to traditional journaling. However, the effects on low-arousal negative emotions like sadness, and on perceived stress, were not significantly different between the two conditions.

These results suggest that AI-assisted venting may be particularly helpful for managing acute, high-intensity emotions. The researchers attributed this finding to the real-time personalised responses, which made users feel heard and understood, encouraging them to express themselves more openly. 

The limits of AI in providing social support

Despite these benefits, AI-assisted venting did not significantly improve participants' feelings of perceived social support or reduce their perceived loneliness. This could be due to the participants’ awareness that they were engaging with an artificial entity, which might have diminished the sense of connection typically associated with human interaction. 

This finding aligns with prior research indicating that while AI can simulate conversation, it lacks the relational depth and mutual understanding that human relationships provide. 

A digital supplement, not a substitute

While AI chatbots show promise in helping users manage certain negative emotions, they are best viewed as a complement rather than a replacement for human support. Meilan’s findings remind us that while technology can provide momentary relief, meaningful connection still lies in the human experience.

What would you choose after a tough day—a human ear, a digital space, or something in between?

Stay tuned to The SMU Blog for more stories on how research at SMU is shaping the future of human-technology interaction.