The Psychosocial Reasons for the Surge of Chatbot Usage Among Young Adults: A Review

Abstract

With the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI), machine learning and advancements in computer technology, there is a growing popularity of conversational agents or chatbots among young adults for seeking different forms of therapeutic and social support. Young adults are also considered to be more vulnerable to various mental health disorders and psychological disturbances. Moreover, the rapid integration of chatbot technology into modern lifestyle has sparked an increasing interest in understanding the underlying reasons behind its widespread adoption, particularly among young adults. The current research aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of the psychosocial factors driving such chatbot usage among young adults worldwide by reviewing previous relevant literature from multiple reputable academic sources such as Google Scholar. From this review paper, prominent research gaps have been identified in the areas of identifying predictors of chatbot usage among young adults of India, its long-term effectiveness in the areas of mental health intervention and its applicability in various psycho-social domains. Overall sparse works have been done on chatbot usage using the Indian population particularly focusing on young adults. Therefore the findings from this paper deem to be important for understanding the future applications of chatbots and their degree of utility in the Indian context.