Navigating Neurodivergence with AI Chatbots: Benefits, Tensions, and Implications for HCI

This qualitative study examines the experiences and concerns of neurodivergent people regarding AI chatbots. Based on 23 semi-structured interviews, we found that our neurodivergent participants used AI chatbots for a diverse range of applications, including therapy, communication, education, work, and planning. Participants’ chatbot use was mainly driven by motivations specific to their condition, such as supporting working memory, regulating emotions, and sustaining self-motivation. In addition to these benefits, participants noted tensions around AI’s role in promoting masking (which involves deliberate concealment of outwardly visible neurodivergent traits), privacy concerns, and its influence on social relations. We present implications grounded in neurodivergent users’ experiences with AI chatbots and raise critical questions about authenticity, privacy, and the broader impact on their social relationships.