The Big Tech Show ChatGPT most popular in Ireland and how AI became a therapist
Nov 4, 2025
Maeve McTaggart, a news and political reporter for the Irish Independent, dives into the fascinating world of AI in Ireland. She reveals ChatGPT's dominance, with 84% of AI queries stemming from its service. Maeve explores the emergence of chatbots as informal therapists, discussing how many use them for support. She also highlights the risks of misinformation from AI outputs and the user responsibility that comes with it. The discussion raises provocative questions about the impact of AI on emotional well-being and human relationships.
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ChatGPT Is The Default AI Tool
- ChatGPT dominates everyday AI use in Ireland, handling over 84% of generative AI queries.
- Maeve McTaggart and JJ Clarke note people now use it as shorthand and an alternative to Google for daily tasks.
Journalist Finds Fabricated Book Recommendations
- Maeve asked ChatGPT for Irish political memoirs and it invented two plausible but non-existent books.
- She verified them on Google and ChatGPT admitted the error and explained it generated content from patterns.
AI Often Misrepresents News Sources
- A large EBU study found 45% of AI answers had significant issues and 31% had sourcing problems.
- Maeve warns misattributions can erode trust in news organizations cited by AI assistants.