As a high school sophomore, I explored the potential of AI chatbots to support mental health among students. With the current school counselor-to-student ratio in Connecticut at 320:1, significantly higher than the recommended 250:1, AI can bridge this gap. Emotional well-being is essential in high school, helping manage stress from homework and tests. Key AI chatbots I evaluated included Wysa, EarKick, ChatGPT, and Google Gemini.
Wysa provided useful content but had a mechanical flow, earning an 8.5/10. EarKick impressed with its empathy and smooth conversation, rating 9.5/10. ChatGPT excelled in adapting to my needs and providing encouragement, achieving a perfect score of 10/10. However, Gemini had a choppy flow and rated 8/10. In my view, while AI is a valuable resource for ongoing emotional challenges, it cannot replace human counselors. I’m eager to see how AI will enhance counseling in Connecticut schools.
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