Generative AI Use associated with Depressive Symptoms: Study
A survey study has found a modest but statistically significant association between regular use of generative AI and higher levels of depressive symptoms. The association varied substantially by age, with the strongest effect seen in adults aged 25 to 64 years, and was more pronounced among individuals using AI for personal purposes rather than for work or education. Researchers emphasized the need for further studies to clarify whether this relationship is causal. The study was published in JAMA Network Open by Roy H. and colleagues.
Generative AI has rapidly infiltrated everyday life in the US, but its potential mental health implications are poorly understood. This survey-based study analyzed data from a 50-state US internet nonprobability survey conducted between April and May 2025. The study included adults aged 18 years and above, and final analyses were conducted in August of 2025. Results included 20,847 unique participants who provided a large and diverse sample to explore the patterns of AI use and mental health outcomes at a national level.
Measures of generative AI and social media usage were based on self-reported usage, and generative AI was categorized into different levels of usage: individuals who do not use generative AI, those who used it daily, and those who used it more often. The primary outcomes were negative emotions, defined and measured through the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9), a diagnostic tool used to assess and measure depressive disorders.
Key findings
The mean (SD) age of participants was 47.3 (17.1) years.
The total sample included 10,327 female participants (49.5%), 10,386 male participants (49.8%), and 134 participants who identified as nonbinary (0.6%).
In total, 2,152 participants (10.3%) reported using generative AI at least daily, including 1,053 participants (5.1%) who used AI daily and 1,099 participants (5.3%) who used it multiple times per day.
Among participants who used AI daily or more frequently, the majority characterized their use as personal.
1,875 (87.1%) used AI for personal applications, 1,033 (48.0%) used it for work, and 246 (11.4%) for school-related purposes.
Daily or more frequent use of AI was significantly more common among men, younger adults, those with higher educational attainment and greater income, and those living in urban areas.
This large-scale, representative survey study found positive associations between more common use of generative AI technology and symptoms of depression in US adults, while there was significant variation by adult age group and nature of use. While it is impossible to establish direct causality from this study, further studies are required to understand how the use of AI technology may affect our health in a more positive or more adverse manner.
Reference:
Perlis RH, Gunning FM, Usla A, et al. Generative AI Use and Depressive Symptoms Among US Adults. JAMA Netw Open. 2026;9(1):e2554820. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.54820
