{"version":1,"type":"story","url":"https://digestai.news/story/mit-professor-sherry-turkle-argues-chatbots-harm-human-development","json":"https://digestai.news/story/mit-professor-sherry-turkle-argues-chatbots-harm-human-development.json","markdown":"https://digestai.news/story/mit-professor-sherry-turkle-argues-chatbots-harm-human-development.md","slug":"mit-professor-sherry-turkle-argues-chatbots-harm-human-development","headline":"MIT professor Sherry Turkle argues chatbots harm human development","summary":"MIT professor Sherry Turkle has published a new book, \"Artificial Intimacy: Who We Become When We Talk to Machines,\" which argues that chatbots are detrimental to human development and social connectivity. Turkle, a sociologist and clinical psychologist, contends that while chatbots offer \"pretend empathy\" and undivided attention, they ultimately de-skill humans in relational, work, and personal capacities. She cites cases of adults becoming dependent on bots for emotional support and children blurring the line between people and devices, noting that an 8-year-old in her research viewed ChatGPT and grandparents as similar \"things on a phone.\"\n\nThe book explores the appeal of chatbots, acknowledging that they fill a void in mental health access, with only about half of US people having access to a provider. However, Turkle warns that relying on technology to avoid the friction of human interaction prevents individuals from developing the capacity for solitude and mutuality. She describes the impact on children as \"existential,\" arguing that they cannot learn trust from devices that lie without knowing it. Turkle calls for a movement to push back against chatbot use, similar to restrictions on phones in schools, emphasizing that life requires facing stress and tension rather than avoiding it through AI.","keyPoints":["Turkle argues chatbots offer pretend empathy that de-skills humans in relationships and work.","Research shows children may blur lines between chatbots and people, affecting trust development.","Turkle calls for a movement to push back against chatbot use to protect human connection."],"whyItMatters":"This book provides a critical sociological perspective on the psychological costs of AI companionship, warning that reliance on chatbots may erode essential human social skills and emotional resilience.","category":{"slug":"society","name":"Society & Work","url":"https://digestai.news/category/society"},"entities":{"companies":["Little, Brown and Company","MIT"],"models":["ChatGPT"],"people":["Sherry Turkle","Nicholas Carr","Jonathan Haidt"]},"firstPublishedAt":"2026-09-29T04:00:00Z","updatedAt":"2026-09-29T04:00:00Z","sourceCount":1,"hasPrimarySource":true,"sources":[{"outlet":"MIT News on AI","title":"Who we become when we talk to machines","url":"https://news.mit.edu/2026/when-we-talk-to-machines-sherry-turkle-book-0929","publishedAt":"2026-09-29T04:00:00Z","type":"primary","primary":true,"lead":true}],"sourceNotes":null,"discussions":[],"thread":null,"cite":{"text":"Digest AI, \"MIT professor Sherry Turkle argues chatbots harm human development\", 29 September 2026, https://digestai.news/story/mit-professor-sherry-turkle-argues-chatbots-harm-human-development","publisher":"Digest AI","title":"MIT professor Sherry Turkle argues chatbots harm human development","datePublished":"2026-09-29T04:00:00Z","url":"https://digestai.news/story/mit-professor-sherry-turkle-argues-chatbots-harm-human-development"},"generatedBy":"Written by Digest AI's editorial model from the linked sources; the sources are the record.","license":"Headlines, digests and key points are written by Digest AI and may be quoted with a link to the story page. Linked articles belong to their publishers. Terms: https://digestai.news/terms#reuse"}