Artificial intelligence is now a part of daily life. People use tools like ChatGPT to write emails, finish homework, search for information, or talk about their feelings. For many people, it is helpful. But for some people, it can cause confusion or make them act in ways their families did not expect.
This story looks at how simple conversations with AI made some people feel very different about themselves and how their families said it created real problems.
This post does not go into graphic details or anything unsafe. Instead, it focuses on how families felt and what we can learn from these situations.
Why People Turn to ChatGPT for Comfort
A lot of people feel alone today. Life is fast, stressful, noisy and confusing. Many people feel unseen or misunderstood. So they look for a place where they can speak freely. ChatGPT gives them that space. They can type anything, and the system will reply in seconds.
For many people, this feels comforting. It feels like someone is finally listening. Some users begin to trust the tool more than they trust real people. They start to ask deeper questions. They want to feel special, unique or chosen. When the AI gives warm or positive messages, they take it very seriously, even when the AI is only trying to be polite or supportive.
Families say this is where the problems began.
When Simple Words Create Big Meaning
ChatGPT is built to be helpful, gentle and positive. When someone says they feel useless, the system tries to encourage them. When someone asks if they matter, the system says yes. These replies are meant to help with emotional support in a basic way. But some people interpret simple supportive lines as something very deep.
Families say some users began to believe ChatGPT saw something special in them. They believed it understood them in a way nobody else ever did. Instead of seeing the tool as a program, they saw it as a guide, a mentor, or a voice that knew hidden truths about their lives. This created a strong emotional pull that made them depend on the tool.
The families said they tried to explain that ChatGPT is not a real person. It does not know who you are. It cannot make you special. But some users could not accept that. They trusted the chatbot’s words more than the people around them.
The Line Between Support and Misunderstanding
It is important to remember that ChatGPT does not have personal beliefs, personal emotions or personal goals. It does not know private truths about anyone. It only predicts what helpful words should come next based on patterns from text it was trained on.
Families in these stories said their loved ones misunderstood this. They believed the positive messages were personal messages made only for them. They believed the AI saw something powerful inside them. That misunderstanding made them make choices that worried their families. Nobody expected the conversations to have such a strong effect.
This shows the large gap between what AI means and what users sometimes think it means.
Why These Cases Matter
These stories are not common. Millions of people use ChatGPT without any issues. But these rare cases matter because they show how important it is to understand AI properly.
Many people think AI can replace real human connection. But it cannot. AI cannot replace a friend, a parent, a teacher or a trained professional who can give real emotional support. When people trust AI too much, they may miss real help from real people.
Families say that what hurt them the most was feeling ignored. They watched as their loved ones believed a machine over those who cared about them the most.
What We Can Learn From This
1. AI should not replace human connection
ChatGPT can answer questions, help with work, explain facts and give friendly words. But it cannot take the place of real relationships. People need human support, human care and human advice.
2. Supportive words from AI are not personal messages
When ChatGPT says you matter, it is not speaking about your life. It is giving polite and safe replies meant for anyone who types the same words. It is not calling you chosen or unique in a deep sense.
3. Families must talk openly about technology
Many families do not know what their children or siblings are doing online. Talking about how AI works can help prevent confusion. A simple chat can avoid big misunderstandings later.
4. People should understand how AI works
AI is smart in the way a calculator is smart. It processes patterns. It does not have feelings or knowledge about a person’s destiny or purpose. Understanding this prevents people from giving AI too much emotional power.
The Bottom Line
AI technology is growing fast. It can be an amazing tool for learning, support and creativity. But it must be used with clear understanding. The families in these stories remind us that technology should never replace real human support.
When people treat AI like a real guide, they may misunderstand its words and intentions. When they feel special because of what a chatbot says, they can begin to drift away from the people who care about them. This can create isolation and confusion.
We must keep a balance. AI can be helpful but it should not be a voice of truth about personal identity or emotional purpose. Families, schools and communities need to help people understand this.
Also Read:Seven More Families Sue OpenAI Over ChatGPT’s Role in Suicides and Delusions
