Is venting to AI safe? Is it bad for you? What experts and practice say

Short answer: venting to AI can help you sort out what you're feeling day to day, but it doesn't offer the confidentiality or the care of professional support. AI can get things wrong, can agree with you too much, and shouldn't be your support in a crisis. The risk varies a lot depending on the tool and the kind of information you share.

One caveat before we begin: this piece comes from Lurea, an AI-powered emotional journal app. We have a stake in this topic, so we've made a point of citing people who criticize this kind of use and saying where our own app has limits. Our main source, CNN Brasil, is in Portuguese, so the quotes below are our translations.

Why so many people do it

According to a Sentio University survey cited by CNN Brasil, 48.7% of AI users with mental health problems turn to it for emotional support. The reasons aren't surprising: it's available in the middle of the night, it doesn't get tired, and there's no relationship at stake. We go deeper into this in our piece on venting without judgment.

Is it safe to vent to AI?

It helps to look at three risks separately.

1. What happens to your data. This is the most concrete difference from a therapist's office. Paulo Henrique Fernandes, head of products and technology at a law firm, put it this way to CNN Brasil: "When someone opens up to a psychologist, there's confidentiality guaranteed by the profession's Code of Ethics and by law. When they open up to a chatbot, there's only a consumer relationship with a technology company." His advice is to leave out full names, diagnoses and other people's information and, when possible, to turn off the use of your conversations for training models.

2. The quality of the response. AI generates text that sounds good, which doesn't mean it's right. It can be wrong with the same confidence it has when it's right.

3. What happens in a crisis. In a Brown University study, also cited by CNN Brasil, licensed psychologists reviewed simulated counseling sessions with AI models and identified 15 recurring ethical violations, including failures in handling crisis situations. In intense distress or when a life is at risk, the way forward is to reach out to people (see below).

Is venting to AI bad for you?

For most people, letting it out now and then isn't the problem. Experts point to two things to watch for.

It tends to take your side. Psychologist Jimmy Pessoa explains to CNN Brasil that AI simulates the perspective a person is looking for, whereas psychotherapy questions patterns. Researcher Dora Kaufman, a professor at PUC-SP, makes a similar point: "The specialist's role is never to please the patient or say things that make them feel good." Being validated all the time feels nice, but it can reinforce the same reading of things that's hurting you.

It can take the place of other conversations. If AI has become the only one you talk to about how you feel, or if you keep putting off getting help because you've "already vented," it's worth paying attention. That warning sign is ours, based on common sense, not a research finding.

Can you do therapy with AI?

No. Therapy is treatment led by a qualified professional, with assessment, confidentiality and responsibility for what happens to you. A chatbot offers none of that, even when it talks in a way that resembles a session. Venting, sorting out what you feel and preparing for therapy are possible uses. Replacing therapy isn't.

A checklist before venting to any AI

  • Does it use what you write to train models? The answer should be in the privacy policy. If there's an option, turn it off.
  • Who else receives your text? Look for the vendors named in the policy.
  • Can you delete everything? Exporting and deleting should be possible without asking anyone for a favor.
  • What does it do when it sees signs of a crisis? A serious app explains this and points to real help.
  • Does it tell you what it isn't? Be wary of anything promising therapy or a cure.
  • What are you sharing? Leave out full names, documents and other people's information.

How Lurea handles each of these points

Running our own app through the same checklist:

  • Training: conversations and journal entries go to OpenAI through the API so that Luri can reply, and aren't used for training according to our privacy policy.
  • Protection: data is encrypted in transit and at rest. This is not end-to-end encryption, and it's important to say so.
  • Account: the app requires a login, so it's private, not anonymous. You can lock it with biometrics.
  • Control: you can export your data, clear your history or delete your account inside the app. We don't sell what you write.
  • Crisis: the app looks for signs of crisis in conversations and, when it spots them, points you to a crisis line: 988 in English and CVV in Portuguese. No automated detection is foolproof, and this doesn't replace a person. If you live outside the US and Brazil, it's worth knowing your local emergency number or crisis line ahead of time.
  • Limits: Luri is support for everyday life. She doesn't diagnose, doesn't treat, and doesn't replace a psychologist or psychiatrist.

When to see a professional

See a psychologist or psychiatrist if your distress is intense or has lasted for weeks, if it's getting in the way of your sleep, work or relationships, or if venting no longer brings relief.

If you're having thoughts of hurting yourself or need to talk to someone right now: in Brazil, CVV answers for free, 24 hours a day, at 188 or through cvv.org.br. Anywhere else, contact your local emergency number or crisis line (for example, 988 in the US). In immediate danger, call your local emergency number (192 for SAMU in Brazil) or go to an emergency room.

Frequently asked questions

Is it safe to vent to AI? It can help day to day, but it doesn't offer the confidentiality of professional care and isn't suited to moments of crisis. The risk depends on the tool and on what you share: check the privacy policy and avoid full names, diagnoses and other people's information.

Does ChatGPT keep what I write? It depends on your plan and account settings, which can change. Check the history and training options in your settings and in OpenAI's own privacy policy.

Can AI replace a psychologist? No. Psychotherapy questions patterns and is led by a professional with a duty of confidentiality. AI can help you sort out what you feel, including to bring to a session.

What's the difference between venting to AI and keeping a journal? A journal doesn't reply and stays wherever you keep it. AI replies, but your text passes through an outside service. A paper emotional journal is still the simplest option if you don't want to share anything.

What should I do if I'm in a crisis? Don't rely on AI at that moment. In Brazil, call CVV at 188 (free, 24 hours) or, in immediate danger, SAMU at 192. Anywhere else, contact your local emergency number or crisis line (for example, 988 in the US).