‘Won’t get annoyed, won’t snap’: Indonesians tap AI for judgement-free emotional support, but risks abound

Raluca Maniță

Indonesia has a shortage of mental health professionals, and AI chatbots are a godsend for people in need of a sounding board. But the platforms come with risks and cannot fully replace the work of humans, experts say. Edition: Singapore Indonesia Asia US/UK JAKARTA: Ahead of an extended family gathering, Nirmala (not her real name) found herself unusually anxious. The reason: Small talk that could spiral into interrogation. “Sometimes I just don’t know how to answer questions from relatives,