From therapy to working out, Jason Segel, Jessica Williams, Bill Lawrence, Christa Miller and Lukita Maxwell let us in on their tips to a happier existence. Shrinking premiere 1/27 on Apple TV+.
Developed at MIT CSAIL, SoFi is a soft robotic fish designed to study the underwater world and better understand the organisms living in it. We spoke with PhD student Levi Cai to discuss how it works and the impact the technology could have as we seek to uncover more about our oceans.
UPDATE: Jan. 31, 2023, 2:00 p.m. EST This story has been updated to include new deals on pet tech, toys, and more.
BEST PET TECH DEAL: The Whistle GPS tracks your pet and can also give you valuable health and activity insights — $77.42 $149.95 (save $72.53)
BEST PET TOY DEAL: The Game from Fable Pets is a multipurpose feeder, toy, and enrichment game all in one small package — $44 $55 (save $11)
BEST PET DNA KIT DEAL: The Embark Dog DNA kit will give you a breed breakdown and health risk report on your pup — $159 $199 (save $40)
Got a pandemic puppy or a quarantine cat? You’re not alone. Tons of people are still adopting new pets — and finding out that the cost of buying toys, beds, treats, and pet tech adds up quickly. To keep you from spending your entire paycheck on your four-legged friend, we compile a list of the best pet deals every week so you can be the best pet parent ever, even if you’re on a budget.
Our pick: Whistle GPS
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Whistle’s GPS tracker is one of the most durable and feature-packed smart collar attachments on the market. You’ll get extremely accurate tracking through the companion app and the ability to mark safe zones for your pet, as well as access to in-depth health analytics that can inform the way that you care for your furry friend.
PetSafe wireless pet fence system — $289.95 $319.99 (save $30.04)
PetSafe Stay & Play wireless fence transmitter — $259.95 $319.99 (save $60.04)
Hunger for Words talking pet starter set — $23.73 $29.99 (save $6.26)
Petcube with Bites Lite 2 bundle — $135.95 $198.99 (save $63.04)
Petkit Pura Max Self-Cleaning Cat Litter Box — $629 $799 (save $170)
PetSafe ScoopFree Smart Self-Cleaning Cat Litter Box — $229.95 $249.99 (save $20.04)
PetSafe ScoopFree Self-Cleaning Cat Litter Box — $169.95 $184.64 (save $14.69)
Wopet Automatic Cat Feeder with Camera — $139.99 $169.99 (save $30)
Our pick: Fable Pets’ The Game
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Fable’s The Game is a multipurpose feeder, toy, and enrichment game for dogs that we gave a pretty nice score in our review. If you’ve ever seen a wobble bowl feeder (or something else like one), The Game works in a similar way: Fill it up with a cup of dry food, and let your pup knock it around to get the tasty bits to fall out, all while you get some much-needed relaxation time.
Dr. Catch Dog Puzzle — $10.99 $17.99 (save $7)
Neecong dog snuffle mat — $16.99 $24.99 (save $8)
Petstages Chase Meowtain cat toy — $19.99 $27.49 (save $7.50)
Chuckit fetch balls — $9.95 $13.99 (save $4.04)
Lamb Chop squeaky plush toy — $6 $12.59 (save $6.59)
Outward Hound Hide-A-Squirrel toy — $15.99 $27.49 (save $11.50)
Outward Hound Hedgehogz Plush — $6.99 $9.99 (save $3)
Kong Extreme dog toy — $14.99 $15.99 (save $1)
Outward Hound Brick puzzle — $11.05 $27.49 (save $16.44)
Our pick: Embark Dog DNA Kit
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The Embark Dog DNA kit helps you find out your dog’s breed, type, and variety — but perhaps most valuable of all, you can learn about potential health risks that your dog’s breed is prone to, and use those insights to take preventative measures with the assistance of your vet. The test also lets you find and connect with other dogs that share DNA with yours. Did someone say family reunion?
Frisco Orthopedic pet bed — $48.61 $60.76 (save $12.15)
Save 30% on the Tuft & Needle Dog Bed and Essential Dog Bed
Casper Dog Bed — $112.99 $139 (save $26.01)
Wild One Collar Walk Kit — $88 $105 (save $17)
Catit Flower Fountain — $27.99 $32.99 (save $5)
Save 20% on various pet products from Fable with code WINTER20
Pawz Road cactus cat tower — $44.99 $59.99 (save $15)
Dexas slow feeder dog bowl — $17.45 $23.99 (save $6.54)
Score up to 35% off select collars, leashes, harnesses, and more from Wild One
Uproot Cleaner Pro pet hair remover — $23.99 $31.99 (save $8)
Wopet cat water fountain — $16.98 $21.99 (save $5.01)
Fish&Nap cat tree with hammock — $36.99 $55.99 (save $19)
Save up to 30% on select pet beds at Target
What would happen if one day, teenage girls across the world developed electrical powers? That’s the starting point for Prime Video’s upcoming series The Power, based on the novel by Naomi Alderman.
The ability to generate and manipulate electricity gives young women everywhere a new sense of strength and freedom, and as more and more women develop this ability, the global power balance begins to shift. One spark can set off an entire revolution — and nothing will ever be the same again.
The Power hits Prime Video Mar. 31.
The future of the DCU has been in question ever since the Warner Bros. Discovery merger led to the brutal cancellation of projects like Batgirl, as well as the hiring of James Gunn and Peter Safran as co-chairs and co-CEOs of DC Studios. On Jan. 31, Gunn and Safran sought to put these questions to rest by releasing a slate of upcoming releases, including new film and TV projects.
Some of the projects won’t come as surprises. “Diamond characters” like Batman and Superman will be getting their own movies — no, Henry Cavill still isn’t returning to play the Man of Steel.
Lesser well-known characters like Booster Gold and the Creature Commandos will also be receiving their own TV series, following Gunn’s pattern of giving obscure characters — like the Guardians of the Galaxy or several members of 2021’s The Suicide Squad — a higher profile. Here’s what else you can expect from the next phase of DC film and TV, which Gunn and Safran have called Chapter One: Gods and Monsters.
Zachary Levi fights a dragon in ‘Shazam: Fury of the Gods’ trailer
Mark your calendars for July 11, 2025, because that is (tentatively) when DC’s next Superman movie will be hitting our theaters. Written and possibly directed by Gunn, Superman: Legacy will not be a Superman origin story. According to Safran in an announcement to reporters, this film is the official kick off for the next stage of DC, and will explore how Superman balances his Kryptonian heritage with his time on Earth. The pair did not reveal who would be donning Superman’s iconic cape.
Based on the comics from imprint Wildstorm, The Authority follow a superhero team that isn’t afraid to go to extremes to save the world. According to Gunn, the DCU is “not just a story of heroes and villains.” The members of the Authority may just blur the line.
The Brave and the Bold marks the introduction of the DCU’s Batman as well as its Robin: Damian Wayne. Based on the Grant Morrison run of comics, The Brave and the Bold follows Batman as he meets the son he never had… who just so happens to have been raised by assassins. (Gunn described Damian as “little son of a bitch.”) This Batman is not the same as Robert Pattinson’s take on the Caped Crusader. However, if you’re a fan of Battinson, you’re in for good news…
Pattinson returns Oct. 3, 2025 in another Batman movie directed by Matt Reeves. Will we get to see more of Barry Keoghan’s take on the Joker? Who knows?
This iteration of Supergirl will apparently be “much more hardcore” than the Supergirl we’re familiar with. While her cousin Superman escaped Krypton and had a happy upbringing on Earth, Supergirl was raised on a chip off the destroyed Krypton, where she witnessed death and carnage for the first 14 years of her life.
The DCU gets the horror treatment with Swamp Thing, which will end the first part of Chapter One: Gods and Monsters.
Creature Commandos, an animated series written by Gunn, is already in production. The show takes a team of monsters originally brought together to fight Nazis and gives it a modern twist.
We’ve seen Viola Davis make the role of Amanda Waller her own in both The Suicide Squad and Suicide Squad. Now, she gets her own HBO Max series — a spin-off of Gunn’s Peacemaker.
The Green Lanterns finally comes to the DCU in Lantern, which will feature both Hal Jordan and John Stewart. Safran described the show’s as “very much in the vein of True Detective” and “terrestrial-based.”
Game of Thrones meets Wonder Woman in Paradise Lost, a drama set on Wonder Woman’s home island of Themyscira. The series, supposedly full of scheming among the Amazons, takes place before the events of Wonder Woman.
What do you get when a “loser from the future” goes back in time and uses future technology to pose as a superhero? Booster Gold. According to Gunn, the low-level hero is “imposter syndrome as a superhero.”
UPDATE: Jan. 31, 2023, 12:30 p.m. EST We’ve updated this post to reflect the most recent pricing and availability on Apple Watches.
BEST OVERALL DEAL: The Apple Watch Series 7 (45mm, GPS + cellular) has most of the features of the Series 8, plus cellular connectivity for a much lower price— $379 $429 at Walmart (save $50)
BEST NEW GEN DEAL: The Apple Watch Series 8 (41mm, GPS) is the best pick for those who haven’t updated their watch in a while and want a decent amount of fitness features — $349 $399 at Walmart and Best Buy
BEST BUDGET PICK: The second-gen Apple Watch SE (40mm, GPS) offers the basic Apple Watch experience at an affordable price point — $239.98 $249 at Amazon (save $9.02)
It’s been over seven years since the first generation Apple Watch began to grace people’s wrists. In that time, the Apple wearable has evolved in size and power, and naturally because it’s Apple, price. If you’re into the idea of having a fitness tracker, an extension of your phone, and all the world’s conveniences (or, at least a few more than you’re used to) wrapped around your wrist, but aren’t into shelling out the max amount of cash, you’ve come to the right place. Every week, we’ll keep a watch out (too much?) and update this post with the best Apple Watch deals from across the internet.
Our pick: Apple Watch Series 8 (41mm, GPS)
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Thankfully, the Series 8 is back down to its lowest price ever. Walmart and Best Buy have the most colorways available at this $50 markdown on this smart watch with the most updated fitness features Apple has to offer (exempting the Ultra), plus fertility tracking and crash detection.
Apple Watch Series 8 (41mm, GPS) — $349 $399 at Amazon (save $50)
Apple Watch Series 8 (41mm, GPS) — $349 $399 at Best Buy (save $50)
Apple Watch Series 8 (45mm, GPS) — $379 $429 at Walmart (save $50)
Apple Watch Series 8 (45mm, GPS) — $379 $429 at Best Buy (save $50)
Apple Watch Series 8 (41mm, GPS + cellular) — $449 $499 at Best Buy (save $50)
Apple Watch Series 8 (45mm, GPS + cellular) — $479 $529 at Best Buy (save $50)
Our pick: Apple Watch Series 7 (45mm, GPS + cellular)
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If you want a watch with some heftier specs, but don’t want to pay $400 or more, this Series 7 pick offers a worthy alternative. If you’re not particularly keen on having crash detection or fertility tracking on your watch, the Series 7 won’t feel like much of a step down from the Series 8. You still get the same fitness features as the 8, including blood oxygen and heart rate sensors. The only catch is that you can only grab it at this price in its green and midnight colorways.
Our pick: 2022 Apple Watch SE (40mm, GPS)
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If you don’t picture yourself checking your blood oxygen levels or heart rate regularly, chances are you can opt for the more basic (and more affordable) Apple Watch experience via the second-gen SE. This watch comes equipped with an S8 chip (that makes this SE 20% faster than its first-gen predecessor), crash detection features, and slight design upgrades on the case. Like the Series 8, the sale prices on this watch aren’t spectacular this week, but even so, it’s still nearly $110 cheaper than the Series 8.
Second Gen
Apple Watch SE (44mm, GPS) — $269.99 $279 at Amazon (save $9.01)
Apple Watch SE (40mm, GPS + cellular) — $289.99 $299 at Amazon (save $9.01)
Apple Watch SE (44mm, GPS + cellular) — $319.98 $329 at Amazon (save $9.02)
First Gen
Apple Watch SE (40mm, GPS) — $199 $249 at Walmart (save $50)
Apple Watch SE (44mm, GPS + cellular) — $279 $359 at Walmart (save $110)
Apple Watch Ultra (49mm, GPS + cellular)
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We wouldn’t recommend this watch for everyone, but if you’re looking for a watch for the hardcore outdoor adventurer in your life, the Ultra is it. Its hefty price tag reflects an array of top-of-the-line features including the largest watch face Apple’s ever made, built-in cellular, 36 hours of battery life, a titanium case, 100m water resistance, and a host of advanced fitness metrics.
TikTok’s CEO Shou Zi Chew will testify in a Congressional hearing set to take place on March 23.
The U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee on Monday announced the committee appearance via press release.
TikTok’s ties to its China-based parent company, Bytedance, has received mounting scrutiny in recent years. The U.S. federal government recently banned the mobile viral video app from government-issued devices.
While many such congressional hearings on Big Tech have focused on more than one company or platform in the industry, this will be one with a hyper focus on TikTok. The hearing will be centered on “TikTok’s consumer privacy and data security practices, the platforms’ impact on kids, and their relationship with the Chinese Communist Party,” the release states.
The Trump administration tried to outright ban the TikTok app from the U.S. in 2020 but was blocked from doing so at the time. To help alleviate concerns from lawmakers regarding its U.S. users’ safety, TikTok partnered with Oracle in order to route U.S. traffic through the U.S.-based company’s servers.
Congressional Republicans have continued to set their sights on TikTok due to its ties with the China-based Bytedance. With Republicans now in control of the House, one of their first orders of business appears to be to take on the video platform that is incredibly popular with young people in the United States.
This won’t be TikTok’s very first appearance before Congress as the company has sent representatives to testify in previous hearings. However, this does mark its CEO’s first appearance.
UPDATE: Jan. 30, 2023, 5:09 p.m. EST TikTok provided a statement regarding the hearing to Mashable.
“We welcome the opportunity to set the record straight about TikTok, ByteDance, and the commitments we are making to address concerns about U.S. national security before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce,” said TikTok spokesperson Brooke Oberwetter. “We hope that by sharing details of our comprehensive plans with the full Committee, Congress can take a more deliberative approach to the issues at hand.”
If you haven’t yet seen one of 2022’s most polarizing films, fret not, because it’s coming to streaming. Damien Chazelle’s Babylon is a bombastic epic about a changing 1920s Hollywood, with a story so shocking it inspired a whole round of Twitter discourse. If you’re ready to finally watch the film that had people talking, here’s everything you need to know.
Babylon is coming to streaming on Jan. 31 on Premium Video-On-Demand, with digital purchases available from Paramount Home Entertainment.
Babylon follows an ensemble of charismatic characters as they try to make their mark on a changing Hollywood. There’s Nellie (Margot Robbie), a young starlet with big dreams; Manny (Diego Calva), a production executive trying to become an industry name; Lady Fay Zhu (Li Jun Li), a tornado of talent sweeping the scene; and Jack (Brad Pitt), a successful silent film star trying to stay relevant amid a Hollywood that’s finally found its sound.
Babylon takes you on a wild ride as its characters try to find timelessness in an industry already moving on to the next best thing. The film also stars Olivia Wilde, Jean Smart, Tobey Maguire, Samara Weaving, and more.
Some critics have called Babylon a genius fever dream; others describe it as an agonizing three hours with nothing to say. Mashable Film Editor Kristy Puchko wrote, “Babylon assaults audiences with gross-out gags and tiresome debauchery, painting the movie-making industry as a hedonistic hellscape of unhinged egos, forgotten tragedies, and devious star power.”
“While this devil-may-care attitude might sound thrilling, it’s all done with a smug attitude that is exhausting early on, and only grows more so as the film progresses through a torturous runtime of three hours and 8 minutes. Even in a comedy packed with scatalogical humor, Chazelle takes himself achingly seriously.”
Puchko continues, “Amid all this mayhem and charisma, Babylon is ultimately shallow. Its condemnation of Hollywood feels furious but not profound. Its critique is full of outrage, but offers little argument… So, in the end, as wild as it sounds, Babylon is not madcap fun or deviously campy. It’s just plain boring.”
I told you this film was polarizing. If you’re up for watching the hot pile of mess (or maybe genius?) that is Babylon, click that button below to pre-order the film for $24.99.
‘Babylon’
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UPDATE: Jan. 30, 2023, 4:30 p.m. EST This story has been updated with the latest availability info.
Translating a beloved video game franchise to TV or film is a famously dicey move. But so far, HBO appears to have done the almost-impossible with its adaptation of Naughty Dog’s 2013 masterpiece The Last of Us, churning out an outstanding show with a stellar cast while staying true to the soul and mechanics of its source material. (Read Mashable entertainment reporter Belen Edwards’ review for the full scoop.) The show is so good, actually, that HBO just announced that it would be getting renewed for a second season that will cover the events of The Last of Us Part II.
If the first three episodes have you itching to boot up a PlayStation, you’re not alone: The acclaimed third-person survival horror game and its sequel have sold out at some retailers. Here’s a quick rundown of all your buying options (in order of release date) and their online availability at the time of publication.
A PS3 release, the original TLOU earned a slew of awards and quickly solidified itself as one of the greatest PlayStation exclusives to date. (Read our review from the Mashable archives.) It’s best as a collector’s item nowadays, since there are better-looking remasters and remakes available, but you can still play it if you’ve held onto an old console.
A few used copies were available on Amazon for about $20 when we last checked; you can also try your luck on eBay.
“The Last of Us” (used)
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Naughty Dog gave the game a minor facelift for the PS4 a year after launch in the form of TLOU Remastered. This one includes the single-player campaign in full 1080p with improved visuals, higher-res character models, and several gameplay updates, plus an expansion pack called The Last of Us: Left Behind that adds several new chapters about Ellie and her friend Riley, as well as two bonus maps for the game’s Factions multiplayer mode.
PlayStation Plus Premium subscribers can download TLOU Remastered for free. Otherwise, grab a new copy of the game from the PlayStation Store or Best Buy for $19.99, or save a few bucks with the pre-owned version at GameStop for $17.99. (Amazon and Target’s inventories have both been wiped since the show premiered on Jan 15.)
“The Last of Us Remastered” (new)
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“The Last of Us Remastered” (pre-owned)
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Set five years after Joel and Ellie’s original post-apocalyptic journey out west, TLOU‘s grueling but gorgeous sequel lived up to players’ astronomically high expectations (and then some), nabbing over 300 Game of the Year awards to become the most-awarded game in history (it was only just dethroned by Elden Ring). Note that the first season of the HBO series only covers the events of the first game, but a second season that continues the story is officially on the way.
There are two editions available for the PS4, with a free performance patch for PS5:
The base game of TLOU2 retails for $39.99, but you can get it on sale at Walmart for $20.99 or on Amazon for $26.99. It’s currently stuck at full price at Best Buy, GameStop, and the PlayStation Store, and sold out at Target.
“The Last of Us Part II” Standard Edition
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For $10 more, you can upgrade to the Deluxe Edition through the PlayStation Store for a digital soundtrack, a mini digital art book, a dynamic theme for your console, and a set of six exclusive PSN avatars.
“The Last of Us Part II” Digital Deluxe Edition
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Naughty Dog re-revisited the first TLOU last year for a PS5 remake that features a complete visual overhaul and modernized gameplay with new controls, new enemy AI, enhanced combat, haptic feedback, improved audio, and more accessibility options. (Psst: It’s coming to PC in March 2023.) Like TLOU Remastered, it also includes the Left Behind single-player DLC.
Choose from two editions:
You can score a free two-hour trial of the base game with a PS Plus Premium subscription, or buy it for $69.99 at Best Buy, GameStop, and the PlayStation Store. It’s sold out at Target and Amazon.
“The Last of Us Part I” Standard Edition
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This edition sets the player up for success with early unlocks of skill upgrades, weapon upgrades, weapon skins, a gameplay filter, and a speedrun mode. It’s up for grabs in the PlayStation Store for $79.99.
“The Last of Us Part I” Digital Deluxe Edition
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Freddie Chipres couldn’t shake the melancholy that lurked at the edges of his otherwise “blessed” life. He occasionally felt lonely, particularly when working from home. The married 31-year-old mortgage broker wondered if something was wrong: Could he be depressed?
Chipres knew friends who’d had positive experiences seeing a therapist. He was more open to the idea than ever before, but it would also mean finding someone and scheduling an appointment. Really, he just wanted a little feedback about his mental health.
That’s when Chipres turned to ChatGPT, a chatbot powered by artificial intelligence that responds in a surprisingly conversational manner. After the latest iteration of the chatbot launched in December, he watched a few YouTube videos suggesting that ChatGPT could be useful not just for things like writing professional letters and researching various subjects, but also for working through mental health concerns.
ChatGPT wasn’t designed for this purpose, which raises questions about what happens when people turn it into an ad hoc therapist. While the chatbot is knowledgeable about mental health, and may respond with empathy, it can’t diagnose users with a specific mental health condition, nor can it reliably and accurately provide treatment details. Indeed, some mental health experts are concerned that people seeking help from ChatGPT may be disappointed or misled, or may compromise their privacy by confiding in the chatbot.
6 scary things ChatGPT has been used for already
OpenAI, the company that hosts ChatGPT, declined to respond to specific questions from Mashable about these concerns. A spokesperson noted that ChatGPT has been trained to refuse inappropriate requests and block certain types of unsafe and sensitive content.
In Chipres’ experience, the chatbot never offered unseemly responses to his messages. Instead, he found ChatGPT to be refreshingly helpful. To start, Chipres googled different styles of therapy and decided he’d benefit most from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which typically focuses on identifying and reframing negative thought patterns. He prompted ChatGPT to respond to his queries like a CBT therapist would. The chatbot obliged, though with a reminder to seek professional help.
Chipres was stunned by how swiftly the chatbot offered what he described as good and practical advice, like taking a walk to boost his mood, practicing gratitude, doing an activity he enjoyed, and finding calm through meditation and slow, deep breathing. The advice amounted to reminders of things he’d let fall by the wayside; ChatGPT helped Chipres restart his dormant meditation practice.
He appreciated that ChatGPT didn’t bombard him with ads and affiliate links, like many of the mental health webpages he encountered. Chipres also liked that it was convenient, and that it simulated talking to another human being, which set it notably apart from perusing the internet for mental health advice.
“It’s like if I’m having a conversation with someone. We’re going back and forth,” he says, momentarily and inadvertently calling ChatGPT a person. “This thing is listening, it’s paying attention to what I’m saying…and giving me answers based off of that.”
Chipres’ experience may sound appealing to people who can’t or don’t want to access professional counseling or therapy, but mental health experts say they should consult ChatGPT with caution. Here are three things you should know before attempting to use the chatbot to discuss mental health.
While ChatGPT can produce a lot of text, it doesn’t yet approximate the art of engaging with a therapist. Dr. Adam S. Miner, a clinical psychologist and epidemiologist who studies conversational artificial intelligence, says therapists may frequently acknowledge when they don’t know the answer to a client’s question, in contrast to a seemingly all-knowing chatbot.
This therapeutic practice is meant to help the client reflect on their circumstances to develop their own insights. A chatbot that’s not designed for therapy, however, won’t necessarily have this capacity, says Miner, a clinical assistant professor in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University.
Importantly, Miner notes that while therapists are prohibited by law from sharing client information, people who use ChatGPT as a sounding board do not have the same privacy protections.
“We kind of have to be realistic in our expectations where these are amazingly powerful and impressive language machines, but they’re still software programs that are imperfect, and trained on data that is not going to be appropriate for every situation,” he says. “That’s especially true for sensitive conversations around mental health or experiences of distress.”
Dr. Elena Mikalsen, chief of pediatric psychology at The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio, recently tried querying ChatGPT with the same questions she receives from patients each week. Each time Mikalsen tried to elicit a diagnosis from the chatbot, it rebuffed her and recommended professional care instead.
This is, arguably, good news. After all, a diagnosis ideally comes from an expert who can make that call based on a person’s specific medical history and experiences. At the same time, Mikalsen says people hoping for a diagnosis may not realize that numerous clinically-validated screening tools are available online.
For example, a Google mobile search for “clinical depression” immediately points to a screener known as the PHQ-9, which can help determine a person’s level of depression. A healthcare professional can review those results and help the person decide what to do next. ChatGPT will provide contact information for the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and Crisis Text Line when suicidal thinking is referenced directly, language that the chatbot says may violate its content policy.
When Mikalsen used ChatGPT, she was struck by how the chatbot sometimes supplied inaccurate information. (Others have criticized ChatGPT’s responses as presented with disarming confidence.) It focused on medication when Mikalsen asked about treating childhood obsessive compulsive disorder, but clinical guidelines clearly state that a type of cognitive behavioral therapy is the gold standard.
Mikalsen also noticed that a response about postpartum depression didn’t reference more severe forms of the condition, like postpartum anxiety and psychosis. By comparison, a MayoClinic explainer on the subject included that information and gave links to mental health hotlines.
It’s unclear whether ChatGPT has been trained on clinical information and official treatment guidelines, but Mikalsen likened much of its conversation as similar to browsing Wikipedia. The generic, brief paragraphs of information left Mikalsen feeling like it shouldn’t be a trusted source for mental health information.
“That’s overall my criticism,” she says. “It provides even less information than Google.”
Dr. Elizabeth A. Carpenter-Song, a medical anthropologist who studies mental health, said in an email that it’s completely understandable why people are turning to a technology like ChatGPT. Her research has found that people are especially interested in the constant availability of digital mental health tools, which they feel is akin to having a therapist in their pocket.
“Technology, including things like ChatGPT, appears to offer a low-barrier way to access answers and potentially support for mental health.” wrote Carpenter-Song, a research associate professor in the Department of Anthropology at Dartmouth College. “But we must remain cautious about any approach to complex issues that seems to be a ‘silver bullet.'”
“We must remain cautious about any approach to complex issues that seems to be a ‘silver bullet.'”
Carpenter-Song noted that research suggests digital mental health tools are best used as part of a “spectrum of care.”
Those seeking more digital support, in a conversational context similar to ChatGPT, might consider chatbots designed specifically for mental health, like Woebot and Wysa, which offer AI-guided therapy for a fee.
Digital peer support services also are available to people looking for encouragement online, connecting them with listeners who are ideally prepared to offer that sensitively and without judgment. Some, like Wisdo and Circles, require a fee, while others, like TalkLife and Koko, are free. (People can also access Wisdo free through a participating employer or insurer.) However, these apps and platforms range widely and also aren’t meant to treat mental health conditions.
In general, Carpenter-Song believes that digital tools should be coupled with other forms of support, like mental healthcare, housing, and employment, “to ensure that people have opportunities for meaningful recovery.”
“We need to understand more about how these tools can be useful, under what circumstances, for whom, and to remain vigilant in surfacing their limitations and potential harms,” wrote Carpenter-Song.
UPDATE: Jan. 30, 2023, 12:59 p.m. PST This story has been updated to include that people can access Wisdo for free through a participating employer or insurer.
If you’re feeling suicidal or experiencing a mental health crisis, please talk to somebody. You can reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988; the Trans Lifeline at 877-565-8860; or the Trevor Project at 866-488-7386. Text “START” to Crisis Text Line at 741-741. Contact the NAMI HelpLine at 1-800-950-NAMI, Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. ET, or email info@nami.org. If you don’t like the phone, consider using the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Chat at crisischat.org. Here is a list of international resources.