Not even therapists are safe from losing their jobs to technology.
There are a growing number of sites and apps using artificial intelligence and algorithms to give out mental health advice. But is the switch good for us?
Here are some of the pros and cons the experts say comes with the AI therapy movement.
● Pro: Speed. If you’ve tried and failed to find a counselor during the pandemic you already know there’s currently a shortage of mental-health professionals. AI not only gives more people access to help, Stanford School of Medicine instructor Adam Miner says tech can speed up access for people who really need it, like a crisis response situation.
● Con: Accuracy. According to professor and director of clinical training at the University of Utah Zac Imel, artificial intelligence is not ready to take the place of human therapists because it still lacks simple conversation skills. For example, AI can’t put things into context like “remembering what was said 10 minutes ago or last week and responding appropriately.”
● Pro: Therapist Support. According to Imel, mental health AI and professionals should work in tandem, such as “passive phone-sensing apps, that run in the background on users’ phones and attempt to monitor users’ moods [...] and suggest interventions.” Imel also says there is a lot of potential for AI and tech to be able to sense when addicts may be close to relapsing.
● Con: Privacy. Mental health professionals have a strict set of laws they must follow to protect their patients' confidentiality. AI doesn't seem to follow the same guidelines. Assistant professor at Harvard Medical School John Torous has found smartphone apps shared data with commercial entities and says “this is a red flag that the industry needs to pause and change course.”