AI Chatbots, Social Media, & “Influencers”: Our Dangerous New Healthcare Experts

Session Description: More than 100 million+ users are currently estimated to engage with A.I. chatbots. 5.24 billion people currently engage with social media globally. As of 2025, there were estimated to be approximately 127 million "Influencers" worldwide, with around 40% of US adults "following" them across various social media platforms. These astounding numbers are only predicted to continue to increase. Although evidenced to offer some benefits, all these online delivered "products" have also become increasingly specific targets of vociferous criticism regarding the significantly negative effects that engagement with them can produce for some users-especially those who identify within vulnerable, diverse, or under-resourced populations. As juggernaut incubators and conduits of psychopathology, one risk factor of emergent alarm to professionals surrounds how reliance upon them-especially for medical, psychological, or social support-may engender the manifestation of psychosomatic symptoms, support inaccurate self-diagnoses (including anxiety, depression, eating disorders, autism, OCD, self-harm, addiction, and gender/sexual identity-related disorders), and/or contribute to the sharing of inaccurate, specious, and even dangerous healthcare information and/or recommendations. The risky, dangerous, and even tragic outcomes increasingly being exposed as the result of user engagement with these increasingly popular products is also a current topic of significant discussion and concern among professionals, clinicians, practitioners, educators, legislators, and even creators.

There is thus a critical call for an increased understanding of how A.I. chatbots/“companions," social media, “Influencers,” untrained digital Creators, and online echo chambers can promote inaccurate healthcare information, potentially dangerous widespread contagion effects, risky behaviors, and even tragic outcomes. In this interactive session, the presenters, both recognized experts on this topic, will explain and discuss these phenomena, offer education surrounding how they "work," and provide attendees with practical and actionable skills and strategies to help their patients/clients avoid unfavorable outcomes of use. Training regarding how practitioners can both assess and address their clients' level of engagement with any of these products will also be offered.