‘Won’t get annoyed, won’t snap’: Indonesians tap AI for judgement-free emotional support, but risks abound

AI chatbots offer accessibility, anonymity, and speed, said telecommunications expert Heru Sutadi, executive director of the Indonesia ICT Institute.

AI platforms, he said, are “programmed to be neutral and non-critical”. 

“That’s why users often feel more accepted, even if the responses aren’t always deeply insightful,” he said.

Unlike a session with a psychologist, “you can access AI 24/7, often at little to no cost”, Heru said. “Users can share as much as they want without the pressure of social expectations. And best of all, AI replies instantly.”

In Indonesia, an in-person session with a private psychologist can cost upwards of 350,000 rupiah (US$21.50).

Popular telemedicine platform Halodoc offers psychiatrist consultations at prices starting from 70,000 rupiah, while mental health app Riliv offers online sessions with a psychologist at prices starting from 50,000 rupiah.  

Another advantage of a chatbot, said Ila, is that it “won’t get annoyed, won’t snap, won’t have feelings about me bombarding it with a dozen questions”.

“That’s not the case when you’re talking to a real person,” she added.

As such, AI can serve as a “first safe zone” before someone seeks professional help, especially when dealing with topics such as sexuality, religion, trauma or family conflict, said Catarina.

“The anonymity of the internet, and the comfort that comes with it, allows young people to open up without the fear of shame or social stigma,” she explained.

Some of her clients, she added, turned to AI because they “felt free to share without worrying what others, including psychologists, might think of them, especially if they feared being labelled as strange or overly emotional.”