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Yes, one experiment found that venting to an empathetic chatbot reduced some negative emotions more than journaling—but participants typed about their problems; they did not literally yell at a voice assistant. The finding suggests short-term relief from feelings such as anger and frustration, not therapy, a cure for distress, or a replacement for human support.
What the study actually tested
The headline version makes the research sound like a study of shouting. It was instead an experiment in text-based, AI-assisted venting. Participants described personal problems in a conversation with an empathetic chatbot, then researchers compared their responses with those after traditional journaling.
The preregistered study included 150 participants and used a within-subject design: each person experienced both conditions. The order was counterbalanced, and the sessions were separated by a one-week wash-out period. Participants completed measures of emotion and well-being after each session. Singapore Management University’s account says the chatbot was Snapchat’s My AI and that participants were undergraduates. The paper’s abstract and publication details describe the design; SMU’s summary identifies the chatbot.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesThe comparison matters: this was AI-assisted venting versus journaling, not AI versus a therapist, a close friend, or no support at all. It also tested a particular empathetic text-chat setup, not every chatbot, model, prompt, or voice mode.
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What improved—and what did not
In the original experiment, participants reported lower high- and medium-arousal negative affect after AI-assisted venting than after journaling. The emotions highlighted by the researchers included anger, frustration, and fear. The chatbot did not show a clear advantage for lower-arousal emotions such as sadness.
| Outcome | What the original study found |
|---|---|
| Anger, frustration, fear, and related high- or medium-arousal negative feelings | Reduced more after AI-assisted venting than after journaling |
| Sadness and other low-arousal negative feelings | Little or no clear chatbot advantage |
| Loneliness and perceived social support | No significant improvement in the original experiment |
| Long-term mental health or treatment outcomes | Not established |
“Feel better” therefore needs a narrow reading. The measured result was mainly a change in reported negative affect after a session. It does not mean participants became happier overall, recovered from a mental-health condition, or felt more connected to other people. The study’s results and limits are summarized in the paper record and the university account.
Why might a chatbot help in the moment?
The researchers point to qualities such as immediate replies, personalized responses, and a nonjudgmental conversational style. A reply that acknowledges a feeling may make disclosure more engaging than writing alone. But the experiment measured an outcome difference; it did not prove which feature caused it.
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It helps to separate four ideas that can blur together:
- Emotional disclosure: putting an experience into words.
- Validation: receiving a response that recognizes the feeling.
- Emotional regulation: lowering the intensity of a feeling or making it easier to think clearly.
- Social support: believing that someone who cares about you can understand and help.
A chatbot may facilitate disclosure and provide a validating-sounding reply, and that may help regulate an intense feeling temporarily. That is not the same as a reciprocal human relationship or dependable social support. Warm language can sound caring without showing that a system understands your circumstances or has the judgment to guide you.
What the 2026 follow-up adds
A June 2026 follow-up from the same Singapore Management University research group tested a different question: do people need to believe they are speaking with a human to benefit? In a preregistered experiment with 279 participants, one group believed they were venting to AI and another believed a human responder was replying. The responses were AI-generated in both conditions, with the human-presented version edited and presented as human-authored.
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The study reported improvements in some well-being outcomes in both conditions, with broadly similar benefits whether participants believed the responder was AI or human. Unlike the original experiment, this follow-up reported reductions in stress and loneliness and increases in perceived social support. It is useful evidence, but not a simple correction of the first study: the design and conditions differed, and neither experiment established lasting effects or showed that a chatbot can replace real-world relationships or clinical care. The follow-up study record describes its design and findings.
What this does not prove
These studies do not show that AI is a therapist, understands emotions as a person does, treats depression or anxiety, resolves trauma or relationship problems, or is suitable for crisis intervention. Nor do they show that repeatedly expressing anger is inherently healthy. The original result followed a particular conversational venting task and focused on short-term outcomes; it did not test daily use over months.
Venting can help someone name a feeling or organize a confusing event. But repeatedly rehearsing the same grievance can become rumination, and a chatbot that agrees too readily may reinforce a one-sided or mistaken interpretation. Feeling soothed is not proof that the advice is sound—or that the underlying problem has been solved.
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How to use a chatbot for a brief venting session
If you choose to try it, treat the exchange as a tool for reflection rather than as an authority or relationship. A prompt can set useful boundaries:
“I’m angry and need to vent. Please listen, reflect what I’m feeling, and help me separate what I know from what I’m assuming. Don’t encourage retaliation. After I finish, ask whether I want perspective or practical next steps.”
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This is a practical suggestion, not a prompt tested in the cited studies. After venting, you can ask the chatbot to identify what is known versus assumed, offer alternative interpretations, or suggest one low-risk next step. If you notice the conversation is just replaying the same anger, stop and shift to a cooling-off activity or contact someone you trust.
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Protect your privacy
Do not assume a consumer chatbot conversation is confidential like a therapy session. Avoid entering passwords, financial information, medical records, workplace secrets, legal case details, or identifying information about yourself or other people. Remove names, locations, and other details that could identify a child or someone vulnerable. Check the service’s current privacy settings and terms if you plan to share anything sensitive.
Know when a chatbot is the wrong tool
Do not rely on an ordinary chatbot for suicidal thoughts, imminent danger, abuse, or a medical emergency. Contact emergency services or a qualified crisis resource in your location, or reach out to a trusted person who can help you access urgent support. A chatbot’s calming tone is not evidence that it can assess risk or provide competent care.
The practical takeaway
The research supports a limited possibility: an empathetic text chatbot can provide short-term relief from some intense negative emotions, and in one experiment it outperformed journaling for those feelings. It does not establish a general mental-health benefit, a dependable reduction in loneliness, or a substitute for people and professionals. Use it, if at all, as a bounded way to sort through a moment—not as treatment or a reason to stay isolated.
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