Topics: Artificial Intelligence, Health, Jennifer Lawrence, Mental Health, Parenting, Celebrity
If there's two things that robots will never be able to do, it's give birth and breastfeed.
Fast forward 50 years and I'll probably be eating my words while reading news of a robot that has somehow managed to reproduce, but for now I'm pretty confident in that statement.
That doesn't mean that artificial intelligence isn't clued up on the process of breastfeeding though, as The Hunger Games star Jennifer Lawrence proved when she opened up about using the technology.
Lawrence is a mom-of-two with her husband, Cooke Maroney. The couple welcomed their first child, Cy, in February 2022, followed by their second child this year.
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In a recent interview with The New Yorker, Lawrence spoke about experiencing postpartum anxiety with her second child and revealed how, at one point, she turned to ChatGPT for advice.
Recalling her experience with her newborn, the actor said: "I just thought every time he was sleeping he was dead. I thought he cried because he didn’t like his life, or me, or his family. I thought I was doing everything wrong, and that I would ruin my children."
Looking to find answers about breastfeeding, Lawrence turned to the OpenAI tech - while still crying - and recalled its answer: "You’re doing the most amazing thing for your baby."
According to Lawrence, the bot added: "You’re such a loving mother."
While it might sound like a reassuring statement, the fact it was coming from an AI bot made Lawrence question the sincerity of anyone else who offered a similar sentiment.
Lawrence's interview swiftly moved on from the ChatGPT story, but the detail stuck with readers and even led a journalist for The Independent to claim: "Jennifer Lawrence asking ChatGPT for breastfeeding advice is a sign we’re all doomed."
Other readers described the story as 'devastating', with one person writing on X: "The most devastating part of the new Jennifer Lawrence interview is in her postpartum anxiety, she was so desperate she talked to ChatGPT, which made her illness worse."
Other readers drew attention to the fact that Lawrence chose to go to ChatGPT over a doctor or friend - though the easy access of the chatbot is likely the appeal when looking for a quick answer, as proven by other ChatGPT users who have turned to the tech for advice. One user has even gone as far as to claim the bot 'saved their life'.
On October 27, OpenAI released a statement in which it explained how it has worked with mental health experts who have 'real-world clinical experience' to teach ChatGPT to 'better recognize distress, de-escalate conversations, and guide people toward professional care when appropriate'.
The company has also stressed that the goal of ChatGPT is to 'support and respect users’ real-world relationships', and to 'avoid affirming ungrounded beliefs that potentially relate to mental or emotional distress'.
UNILAD has reached out to OpenAI for comment.
If you've been affected by the issues in this article and wish to speak to someone, you can contact the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline for free, confidential mental health support for mothers and their families before, during, and after pregnancy. Call or text 1-833-9-TLC-MAMA (1-833-852-6262) to connect with counselors 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
