Mind Health Rises With Moderate GenAI Use, Then Drops Sharply With Daily Use

WASHINGTON — New data from Sapien Labs suggests that when it comes to generative AI, more use is not necessarily better for Mind Health.

The Generative AI Use and Mind Health Outcomes Rapid Report, based on data from 264,085 adults across more than 85 countries, found a pronounced inverted U-shaped relationship between the frequency of GenAI use and Mind Health. Mind Health scores were higher among people who used GenAI several days a week than among people who rarely used it, but fell sharply among those who used it every day or constantly. The pattern was strongest among young adults ages 18 to 24. 

Among 18- to 24-year-olds, the drop from the moderate-use peak to constant use was 25.1 points on the Mind Health Quotient (MHQ). For context, the report notes that a 12-point decrease in MHQ corresponds to roughly one lost day of productivity per month. 

The same pattern appeared among people who used GenAI only for cognitive tasks, with Mind Health declining sharply at higher frequencies of use. Emotional-purpose users had Mind Health scores 26 to 32 points lower than cognitive-only users at every frequency.

The proportion of people using GenAI for emotional purposes also increased with frequency. People who rarely used GenAI reported using it for emotional purposes at a rate of 20%, including companionship, emotional support or romantic or intimate conversation. That figure rose to 55% among constant users. 

At the level of individual mental capacities, focus and concentration declined with every increase in GenAI use, while addictions and cravings increased. 

“The clearest signal in the data is what happens to specific mental capacities as GenAI use becomes more frequent,” said Tara Thiagarajan, Ph.D., founder and chief scientist of Sapien Labs. “Focus and concentration declined with every increase in use, while addictions and cravings increased. 

These patterns suggest that the relationship between GenAI use and Mind Health extends beyond emotional use to include core capacities people rely on every day.”

The findings point to an important distinction as GenAI becomes increasingly embedded in everyday life: frequency of use and purpose of use both matter. While moderate use was associated with higher Mind Health than rare use, that relationship reversed at higher frequencies. The decline among cognitive-only users also suggests that the association between frequent GenAI use and poorer Mind Health is not limited to people turning to AI for emotional support.

Because the analysis is cross-sectional, the findings do not establish that frequent GenAI use causes poorer Mind Health. The report identifies associations between frequency and purpose of GenAI use and self-reported Mind Health outcomes.

About the Report

Generative AI Use and Mind Health Outcomes Rapid Report

The report analyzed the association between GenAI use and Mind Health among 176,198 GenAI users within a global sample of 264,085 adults across more than 85 countries. Data were collected between June 2025 and April 2026. Mind Health was assessed using the Mind Health Quotient, or MHQ, which measures 47 emotional, social, cognitive and physical capacities and problems.

About Sapien Labs
Sapien Labs is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2016 with a mission to understand and enable the human mind. Its initiatives include the Global Mind Project and Schools for Strong Minds, which uses data-driven insights to help schools understand and strengthen student mental well-being. Sapien Labs is based in the Washington, D.C., area with a globally distributed team across four continents. Visit our website to learn more.