Report · AI & Tech

A third of Americans view AI-as-therapist users negatively

Reading

In a Verasight survey of 1,000 U.S. adults conducted May 11, 2026, 35% of Americans said they view people who use AI as a therapist or mentor negatively, with 20% who said somewhat negative and 15% who said extremely negative.

Just one in ten said they view those users positively (10%), with 6% who said somewhat positive and 4% who said extremely positive. More than half (55%) said they feel neither negative nor positive.

Topline

response scale

Topline scale

35% of Americans view AI-as-therapist users negatively; 10% view them positively.

How do you view people who use AI as a therapist or mentor?

  • Neither negative nor positive 54.5%
  • Somewhat negative 20.0%
  • Extremely negative 15.4%
  • Somewhat positive 6.3%
  • Extremely positive 3.8%

2026 · base n 1,000 · +/- 3.3%

beliefs

View source

Methodology

Full methodology
Mode
Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting
Field dates
2026-05-11 → 2026-05-11
Base (unweighted)
1,000
Margin of error
+/- 3.3%
Module
beliefs

Source

  • 01
    A third of Americans view AI-as-therapist users negativelyreports.verasight.io/reports/spsp26

Citation

Verasight SPSP Omnibus Survey #2026-045, fielded May 11-11, 2026, N=1,000 US adults age 18+, +/- 3.3%.

https://reports.verasight.io/reports/spsp26#q-beliefs_technology_health-35

Verasight survey methodology

How Verasight conducts surveys.

This page describes the Verasight general survey contract, separate from how the Data Library packages it. Each wave's specific field dates, sample sizes, and module breakdown are listed in that wave's report.

Mode
Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting.
Population
US adults age 18+.
Sample design
Surveys are run as omnibus or single-topic waves. Omnibus waves are split into modules with their own respondent set, typically around one thousand respondents per module.
Field window
Each wave specifies its own field dates. Most omnibus waves field across roughly two weeks.
Weighting
Per-module weighting to CPS targets including age, race and ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, and metropolitan status.
Partisanship benchmark
Pew Research Center's NPORS benchmarking surveys, three-year running average.
Vote benchmark
2024 presidential vote population benchmarks.
Margin of error
Typically about plus or minus 3.4 to 3.6 percent per module at standard module sizes. Question-level MoE is recomputed when a base shrinks materially below the module baseline.
Reporting
Every wave is published as a standalone report at verasight.io/reports with full instrument and methodology.
Transparency
AAPOR transparency standards.

Wave-specific methodology, full weighting variable lists, and verbatim instrument text live in each report at verasight.io/reports.