Therapeutic Drift

A phenomenon in AI-mediated support contexts in which users begin to treat an emotionally supportive AI system as a substitute for professional clinical care or meaningful human relationships, rather than as a complementary tool. Therapeutic drift poses risks in caregiving and mental health applications because AI systems lack clinical training, cannot assess risk, and may provide inaccurate or inappropriately general responses to complex psychological needs. As AI chatbots become more emotionally responsive, designers must implement clear disclaimers, escalation pathways to professional help, and design choices that actively reinforce the AI's role as a supplement to — not replacement for — human support systems.