Public discussion of emotional attachment to chatbots includes professional commentary, personal examples and regulatory guidance. These are different sources of evidence and should not be treated as a single clinical safety finding.
AI chatbot attachment in professional commentary
In a Guardian opinion column, psychologists Gaynor Parkin and Dave Winsborough discuss validation, reciprocity and possible reliance on chatbots. Their column includes an illustrative case with identifying details changed and concerns about how interactions may compete with human relationships. It is commentary and professional interpretation, rather than a controlled trial proving that every chatbot causes dependency.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/sep/14/how-to-have-healthier-relationship-with-ai-chatbots-human-intimacy
Medical purpose and functionality matter
MHRA guidance distinguishes the intended purpose of a digital mental-health technology from how it functions. It explains that a product with a medical purpose and sufficiently complex functionality may need regulation as software as a medical device, including evidence of safety and effectiveness. The presence of a chat interface alone does not establish the classification or approval of a particular product.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/digital-mental-health-technology-qualification-and-classification
Do not infer product safety from a broad category
The MHRA guidance is a framework for identifying a product’s regulatory status, not a clinical endorsement of every tool described as AI support. Equally, concerns raised in an opinion column do not establish a measured risk for every user or product. Assessing a specific medical claim requires evidence about that product, its intended use and relevant regulatory position, rather than reassurance inferred from conversational fluency.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/digital-mental-health-technology-qualification-and-classification
Sources and further reading
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/sep/14/how-to-have-healthier-relationship-with-ai-chatbots-human-intimacy
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/digital-mental-health-technology-qualification-and-classification