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Becky Litvintchouk never thought she would be able to handle the mountain of tasks required to be an entrepreneur. Every other part of her life has been overwhelmed by ADHD, which can affect her ability to concentrate.
So, she turned to AI. The cloud app helps her decide which contracts make the most sense for her hygienic-wipes business, GetDirty, without reading them verbatim. She even created business plans by telling the generative AI bot her goals and asking it to create steps to get there.
“It’s been very helpful. I probably wouldn’t be where I am today otherwise,” she said of using AI for nearly two years.
Experts say generative AI tools can help people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder – who experience difficulties focusing, organising and controlling impulses – to complete tasks faster. But they also warn that it should not replace traditional treatment for ADHD, and also expressed concerns about potential over-reliance and privacy violations.
Will apps replace ADHD treatment?
Emily Kircher-Morris, a counselor who focuses on neurodivergent patients, said she has seen these tools be useful for her clients with ADHD. She also uses them herself because she has ADHD.
He said his clients have varying levels of comfort with the idea of using AI. But for those who do embrace the technology, “it can really help draw people in, like, ‘Oh, this is kind of this new fancy thing that piques my interest. And so I really want to dig into it and explore it.'”
He also said it’s good to be cautious. John Mitchell, an associate professor at Duke University School of Medicine, said AI apps should be used as “one tool in the toolbox” rather than traditional treatments such as developing organizational skills or taking prescription medications.
“If you’re floating above water in your work and AI is a lifesaver for you, it’s a good thing that you’re staying above water, but you still don’t know how to swim,” he said.
What else can apps do?
Litvintchouk, a married mother of four who lives in New York City, dropped out of high school and quit her job — all things that research shows are more likely to happen to people with ADHD, putting them at greater risk for economic instability.
In addition to helping her business, she uses ChatGPT to help with grocery shopping — another thing that can be tough for people with ADHD because it requires organization and planning skills — and it makes brainstorming easy-to-prepare recipes with a grocery list.
When she shared her technique with another mom who also has ADHD, she felt more people needed to know about it, so she started making videos on TikTok about the different AI tools she uses to help manage ADHD struggles.
“That’s when I thought, you know what? I need to educate people,” he said.
Generative AI tools can help people with ADHD break down large tasks into smaller, more manageable steps. Chatbots can offer specific advice and make it seem like you’re talking to a human. Some AI apps can also help with reminders and productivity.
Software engineer Bram de Buuser said he created Goblin.tools with his neurodivergent friends in mind. Its most popular feature is “Magic To-Do,” where a user can enter a task, and the bot will generate a to-do list. They can also break down the items on the list into smaller tasks.
“I’m not trying to create a cure, but something that helps them for the two minutes a day that they would otherwise struggle with,” he said.
What kinds of problems can apps cause?
Husson University professor Russell Fulmer described the research about AI and ADHD as “inconclusive.” While experts say they see artificial intelligence can have a positive impact on the lives of people with anxiety and ADHD, Fulmer said, it may not work perfectly for everyone, such as people of color with ADHD.
He pointed to chatbot responses that are sometimes racist and biased.
Wallace Jones, a publicist and founder of Sincerely Nicole Media, was diagnosed with ADHD as a child and uses AI bots to help her read and respond to emails and proofread public relations plans. But the answers don’t always reflect who she really is.
“I’m Southern, so I talk like a Southern person. There are certain rhythms in my writing where you can pick up on the fact that I’m Southern, and that’s intentional,” said Jones, who is Black. “It doesn’t catch the accents of Black women, and if you do, ‘Say it like an African American,’ it automatically starts talking like ‘Malibu’s Most Wanted.'”
And de Buisser said he sees a future where AI chatbots act like a personal assistant that “never gets tired, never sleeps,” but that could also have privacy implications.
“If you say, ‘Oh, I want an AI to give me personal information and check my calendar’ and all that, you’re giving that big company access to your email, your calendar, personal correspondence, basically your deepest, darkest secrets, so that it can give you something useful,” he warns.
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