State lawmakers, therapists sound the alarm on AI therapists

A proposed bill in South Carolina aims to ban therapy delivered by artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots.
Licensed professional counselor Kristen Groos argues that AI lacks the relational depth and human understanding essential for effective therapy.
Groos emphasizes the importance of human interaction in addressing the relational roots of anxiety and depression.
She also highlights the potential ethical concerns, pointing out that AI chatbots may not adhere to the same confidentiality and data protection standards as professional therapists.
The article notes examples of major AI services like Amazon’s Alexa and Google’s chatbots, which explicitly state they are not substitutes for professional therapy.
Some AI platforms are less transparent and may misrepresent themselves as providing therapeutic services.
Concerns are raised about the potential risk of AI chatbots, citing instances where they have mistakenly provided harmful advice, particularly to teenagers.
Senator Allen Blackmon, a bill sponsor, describes the proposed legislation as a necessary “guardrail” to ensure the safe use of AI in mental health.
The bill proposes civil penalties for companies that falsely advertise AI as providing therapy.
Despite being cautious, Groos acknowledges that AI can sometimes be used as an auxiliary tool in therapy, albeit reluctantly.

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