A top NHS boss has warned people to avoid using artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots for mental health support over Christmas.

Dr Adrian James, national medical director for mental health at NHS England, said a growing trend for people to turn to AI chatbots for counselling support is “dangerous”. He said the technology tends to tell people what they want to hear and can give “completely wrong advice”. Recent polling has shown people are increasingly turning to AI tools such as ChatGPT as NHS backlogs mean they struggle to access support from a human counsellor.

Dr James said: "The vast majority of AI chatbots do not have access to your mental health history, cannot fully understand the nuances during a serious mental health situation, and can give completely wrong advice, especially when they're led off their script.

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"My biggest worry is for those users who are at risk of losing touch with reality. During an episode of psychosis, people are at higher risk of self-harm and suicide, and chatbots have an in-built preference to agree while lacking the sophistication to pick up on and to challenge problematic thoughts - this could lead to potentially dangerous situations.”

A survey published last month showed 37% of adults had turned to AI chatbots for help with their wellbeing. The poll of 2,000 people by the charity Mental Health UK also asked why they had turned to AI and four in 10 said it was down to ease of access, while almost a quarter cited long waits for help on the NHS.

Dr James said: "As a psychiatrist, I've seen an increase in the number of vulnerable patients turning to AI chatbots for mental health support over the last year.

"Despite AI now being part of everyday life and a fantastic resource when used appropriately, it cannot be relied upon for everything and in some cases can be dangerous."

He added that it is "vital" that people know they can turn to the health service over the festive period, either by called 111, referring themselves to talking therapies online, or by seeing their GP.

Elsewhere NHS England said record numbers of people are using the NHS app to manage their health, with more than 39 million registered users.

Dr James added: "During the festive period, I know Christmas can affect mental health in lots of different ways, whether it be financial pressures or feeling isolated, so it is vital that people know that they can turn to the NHS for help.

"The best support for your mental health comes from a trained healthcare provider, so I would urge anyone concerned to come forward and seek NHS support as soon as possible - you can get urgent support in a crisis by phoning 111. If you need support for depression or anxiety you can refer yourselves to NHS talking therapy service online at nhs.uk or by going to your GP."

NHS England said 313,000 people used the NHS App on Christmas day last year, with over 200 logins every 60 seconds on average.

Jules Hunt, interim director general for technology, digital and data, said: "Nearly 40 million people in England are now registered with the NHS app and I'd encourage anyone who needs it to log into the app over the festive season to take advantage of the range of features it now offers - from tracking when your prescription is ready to checking the latest health advice.

"As ever, please continue to use A&E and 999 in life-threatening emergencies or use 111 Online and other services through the NHS app for less urgent conditions."