As more people turn to artificial intelligence for emotional support, a Brooklyn-based clinical psychologist is warning that chatbots may be doing more harm than good in couples' relationships. David Tzall, PsyD, a licensed clinical psychologist, is urging couples to be cautious about using AI chatbots to work through relationship conflict, citing new national data that shows a surge in AI use for mental health purposes.
The American Psychological Association's 2026 Chatbots and Mental Health Survey, which polled more than 1,200 licensed U.S. psychologists, found that 77% have spoken with patients who used AI for support, engagement, or other reasons. Nearly two in five psychologists (39%) reported patients using AI to self-diagnose, while 35% said patients turned to AI to act as an additional mental health professional. The survey also revealed that 22% of psychologists reported patients using AI for friendship, and 13% reported patients engaging in intimate relationships with chatbots.
Clinical concerns are widespread. Almost every psychologist surveyed (97%) felt that chatbots may inadvertently reinforce negative behaviors or delusional beliefs, and 94% said current chatbots cannot treat conditions with an appropriate amount of nuance. More than a third (36%) said they had noticed patients developing a level of dependency on a chatbot.
"When someone brings a conflict to a chatbot, they bring one side of it," said David Tzall, PsyD, Licensed Clinical Psychologist. "The response tends to reinforce what that person already believes rather than challenge it. That can feel supportive in the moment, but it limits the kind of problem-solving that relationships actually need."
Dr. Tzall has previously written about the risks of over-reliance on AI for emotional support, noting that it may reinforce existing beliefs rather than challenge them. That, he says, can increase bias and limit real growth. In couples therapy, where his work includes high-conflict relationships, he sees that dynamic play out between partners.
"Progress in a relationship usually comes from hearing what your partner experienced, especially when it's different from your own account," Dr. Tzall said. "A tool that only hears one person's version can't offer that. The conversation that matters is still the one between the two people involved."
Alongside the survey, the APA released a guide on using AI for mental health information safely. The survey's findings point to a growing gap between how people are using these tools and what clinicians believe they can responsibly provide.
Dr. Tzall is licensed in New York and New Jersey. He provides individual therapy, couples therapy, parent coaching, and parent coordination through in-person and virtual sessions. He earned his Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology from Nova Southeastern University, and his clinical experience includes work in civil and forensic hospital settings.
His practice serves adults, couples, and parents, with clinical focus areas that include trauma, addiction, mood disorders, and attachment and relationship concerns. He regularly provides expert commentary on psychological topics for consumer health publications. For more information, visit David Tzall, Psy.D. or his media room.
