In 1966, Professor Joseph Weizenbaum created Eliza, the first chatbot, to explore human-machine interaction. Today, AI chatbots like ChatGPT and Gemini are widely used for emotional support, with over a third of the UK population engaging with them. Experts Charlotte Blease and Tom Van Daele discuss the advantages of AI chatbots, such as accessibility and overcoming barriers to traditional therapy, while also cautioning about their limitations and risks, including potential dependency and biases. They advocate for the responsible use of AI chatbots as complementary tools in mental health support.