I wasn’t sure about ChatGPT being used as therapy — until my dog died unexpectedly.

A few nights ago, I took my dog, Buddy, for a walk like always. He seemed totally fine. Happy, curious, tail wagging. When we got home, he drank some water, I sat down to pet him, and everything seemed normal. Then, out of nowhere, he walked over to me, collapsed, and within less than a minute… he was gone.

I know people handle the loss of a pet differently, but I really loved that dog. Losing him in my arms was one of the hardest things I’ve ever experienced.

My first instinct was to open ChatGPT but not because I expected comfort, but because I wanted to understand what might’ve happened. As I explained it, the responses were unexpectedly kind and gentle. It helped me realize that what I was really doing wasn’t just asking medical questions… I was trying to blame myself.

ChatGPT somehow picked up on that. It said something like, “From what you’ve described, it doesn’t sound like there’s anything you could have done other than very early screenings, and even then, maybe not.” That one line helped me stop replaying everything in my head and start accepting that it wasn’t my fault.

It also said the right kinds of things…simple, thoughtful, human things. And I realized: maybe these tools really can help people when they’re hurting. Not because they replace a person, but because they listen, they answer, and they don’t judge and can pick up on when people are hurting…and maybe, that’s exactly what someone needs sometimes.