Discussions with AI

Well yes, in that you can ask questions online eg with ChatGP and follow-up questions, re-direct the focus of a topic, input further information to receive a modified answer etc.

Sorry, that should read Chat GPT.

Lots of people with mental health problems are praising it.
I know of 2 people.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ced2ywg7246o

These do not constitute a discussion but are an alternative to looking something up eg in a reference book.

I watched a video about a killer who had discussed, in detail, how to do it and get away with it.
Methods, disposal, and the chat thingy had given him advice.

Perhaps it then went to the police and reported him?

You can, but I don't want to.

But I do appreciate A1 helplines - only at their best, which is probably due to a company purchasing a really good working model or having in house people to programme them.

For example, I use Zoom quite a bit, and it had got stuck somewhere as it starting thinking I want to use Workplace Zoom, which f course costs a lot.

I didnt.

Zoom said when I googled Zoom help that they only helped those buying into Zoom workplace, nevertheless I rung the number, and an A1 bot helped me over 40 minutes de install the mess and re install the free Zoom. They were terribly patient too, not always the case with a Real Person

Me " I cant understand"
Bot "No problem, take your time, I'll explain in another way"
Me " I still cant make it work"
Bot " No problem. Take your time. lets go through it together"

...so it works if its set up well, but as a companion? It has been proved to help people... but there is always the "supposing its not set to be benign" fear.

MawsRosie

These do not constitute a discussion but are an alternative to looking something up eg in a reference book.

Not quite. Some of it is direct information and therefore helpful.

Many people don't have the right words to describe what their needs are and it helps focus whilst waiting. coping strategies can also be helpful but only for some of course.

Many cant look things up in a reference book at all. A voice helps a great deal.

But as others have pointed out, its all about how its set up and the quality of same

An inanimate object can provide facts - it is not a sentient being however, god preserve us from things with opinions

Ours can never understand my DH's Hampshire accent. He gets thoroughly cheesed off with some of the bizarre answers it gives to his queries.