Nearly 1 in 3 Australians admit opening up to AI with their relationship issues. Is this healthy?
• 28% of Australian adults have been emotionally vulnerable with a chatbot (YouGov Australia)
• Gen Z globally reports higher trust in AI tools for personal advice than older cohorts
• Mental health apps usage has surged post-COVID
• Search data shows increasing queries around “AI relationship advice” and “ChatGPT breakup advice”
• AI usage for emotional support is highest among 18–34 year olds
TRUSTED EXPERT COMMENTARY: Interrelate has worked with Australian families for a century. Over that time, the shape of relationships has shifted dramatically, from post-war households to dual-income families, blended families, same-sex partnerships, long-distance love and now digital-age intimacy. Interrelate has a range of experts who can speak with authority and understanding. Here, we look at issue of using AI for relationship advice.
Interrelate Relationship Counsellor Scott McLennan said one thing about relationships has not, and never will, change.
“Human relationships are lived, embodied experiences. They involve tone of voice, pauses, tears, silence, nervous laughter, eye contact, and the fragile act of saying something difficult while another person sits across from you. No algorithm can replicate that,” he said. “While artificial intelligence can be helpful, it may also oversimplify, or reinforce, complex emotional dynamics.”
From Taylor Swift to ChatGPT: who are we trusting with our hearts?
There was a time when relationship advice came from a small circle. We turned to our mothers, our best friends, the agony aunt in the weekend paper, we listened to talkback radio, swapped stories over wine, or found ourselves crying in the car to Taylor Swift, convinced she alone understood our heartbreak.
We know that advice has always evolved with culture, and now we see almost one third of adult Australians are adding something new to that circle: artificial intelligence. The algorithm has become the new confidante and it feels very comforting.
There are clear reasons why people are turning to tools like ChatGPT for relationship advice - it’s immediate, and private, it doesn’t judge or interrupt, and it doesn’t take obvious sides. When emotions are high and conversations feel overwhelming, AI can provide a calm, structured response. It can summarise, suggest wording and help organise thoughts that feel tangled and chaotic. In those early stages of reflection, AI can have value. AI is very good at language-based tasks. It can help people organise what they’re thinking, consider different ways to phrase something, or explore broader relationship concepts. In a society where access to professional support can feel intimidating, expensive or just takes too long, AI can appear to be a low-pressure alternative.
But there’s a crucial difference between information and intervention. AI provides information while counsellors provide intervention, this distinction really matters.
One of the most significant risks with AI isn’t that it gives bad advice, it’s that it gives advice confidently. AI responses are delivered in clear, assured language, it sounds neutral and thoughtful and for someone in distress, that tone can feel authoritative. However, AI doesn’t think, it doesn’t feel and it doesn’t understand context beyond what it’s told. It cannot see body language, sense fear or detect power imbalances; it can’t read what isn’t being said. In addition, because it typically receives information from only one person, it may reinforce that individual’s perspective rather than gently challenge it.
In complex relationships, that matters.
Research in relationship science is beginning to explore this dynamic. While many users report that AI responses feel supportive or empathic, studies also warn that chatbots can reinforce confirmation bias, validating assumptions without negotiating nuance or accountability. That’s particularly concerning in situations involving coercive control or domestic violence. AI is not equipped to address situations involving fear, harm or safety risks. It cannot assess danger. It cannot prioritise protection, and in these circumstances, human support is essential.
Beyond safety concerns, there is a broader cultural question emerging.
If we rehearse every difficult conversation with a machine first, are we strengthening communication skills, or weakening them? If we rely on AI to draft apologies, break-up texts or expressions of vulnerability, are we practising emotional courage, or avoiding it?
For decades, relationship advice came with friction - a friend might challenge you, a therapist might hold you accountable, a parent might disagree with you, and AI does not, and this friction is often where growth happens. At the same time, dismissing AI entirely would ignore its potential benefits. Used thoughtfully, it can widen perspective, introduce frameworks people may never have encountered, and reduce reactive responses.
The key question is not whether AI should exist in our emotional lives, it’s about how much authority it’s given.
As Australians increasingly confide in algorithms, the reminder is simple: tools can support us, but they cannot replace us because relationships are human, and when safety, children, commitment or emotional wellbeing are on the line, human support still carries a weight no machine can replicate.
About us:
INTERRELATE Counselling, Support, Mental Health & Education Services
Interrelate is a not-for-profit provider of relationship services, supporting healthy human connection across all stages of life. For 100 years, Interrelate has worked alongside individuals, families and communities to strengthen relationships, build resilience, and navigate life’s challenges with care and confidence. Each year, Interrelate reaches more than 169,000 people across over 30 locations and 450 schools in NSW, Victoria and Queensland, as well as nationally online. Their services span mental health, parenting and separation support, counselling, relationship and sexuality education in schools, and targeted community programs for people experiencing vulnerability. Grounded in research, evaluation and evidence-based practice, Interrelate is committed to addressing complex social issues in ways that are practical, inclusive and effective.
Interrelate marks 100 years of being a trusted leader in relationship education and support services in Australia in 2026. The organisation has grown and evolved to meet the changing needs of families and communities across Australia.
Contact details:
Kath Rose on 0416 291 493 or email [email protected]
