Colorado lawmakers look to limit artificial intelligence use in licensed therapy
Colorado lawmakers look to limit artificial intelligence use in licensed therapy
Publish Date: 2026-03-11 08:26:00
Source Domain: www.denver7.com
- Colorado lawmakers are proposing a bill, HB26-1195, to regulate the use of artificial intelligence in mental healthcare.
- The bill aims to prohibit AI from directly interacting with patients or generating treatment plans without human oversight.
- It also bars the use of AI to detect emotions or mental states of clients, and mandates informed consent for recording or transcribing therapeutic sessions via AI.
- Representative Gretchen Rydin, a licensed clinical social worker and bill sponsor, voiced concerns about the unsafe misconceptions of AI-provided therapy as professional advice.
- Rydin believes there are beneficial administrative uses for AI in mental healthcare, like scheduling and note-taking, but emphasizes that actual psychotherapy should be conducted by humans.
- The bill has received bipartisan support and was unanimously approved by the committee last week.
- The proposal is set for debate in the Colorado House of Representatives this week.
