Mustafa Suleyman, the CEO of Microsoft AI (MSFT) and cofounder of DeepMind (GOOGL), recently appeared on Mayim Bialik’s Breakdown podcast to talk about the growing emotional role of AI chatbots. He explained that people are increasingly using AI for emotional support, especially when dealing with situations like breakups or family conflict. While Suleyman clarified that chatbots aren’t a replacement for therapy, he said that their nonjudgmental, empathetic, and respectful nature has made them surprisingly effective in helping users feel heard and supported.
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As a result, Suleyman believes that this kind of interaction can help people release emotions in a safe space and improve their relationships with others in real life. More precisely, he called it a form of emotional detox and suggested that kindness and empathy from AI can encourage people to “show up better” for their loved ones. He also noted that AI gives people a private place to ask questions they might feel embarrassed to ask a human, and over time, chatbots can help people feel truly seen and understood.
However, not everyone in tech is fully on board with this idea. For instance, OpenAI (PC:OPAIQ) CEO Sam Altman has previously warned that people might start relying too heavily on chatbots for life advice, which makes him uneasy. Unsurprisingly, mental health professionals have warned that AI may increase loneliness or dependence on constant reassurance.
Is MSFT Stock a Good Buy?
Turning to Wall Street, analysts have a Strong Buy consensus rating on MSFT stock based on 32 Buys and two Holds assigned in the last three months. Furthermore, the average MSFT price target of $631.36 per share implies 29.9% upside potential.
