More US states tell AI to stay out of therapy because robots lack feelings

India Today

2 days ago

From life advice to late-night rants, people across the globe are pouring their hearts out to machines. Even therapists are turning to AI to assist in the treatment of patients. But this growing dependence on AI for comfort and advice is raising serious concerns. Psychologists and researchers warn that robots cannot replace the empathy and judgement of a trained human. To curb the increasing reliance on AI, Illinois has become the latest state in the US to outlaw the use of AI-powered chatbots for mental health treatment. The ban restricts the use of AI in therapy citing risks to safety, privacy, and the potential for harmful guidance.advertisementIn Illinois, lawmakers have passed a new 'Therapy Resources Oversight' law that forbids licensed therapists from using AI to make treatment decisions or to communicate directly with patients. The law also bars companies from marketing chatbots as full-fledged therapy tools without a licensed professional involved. Violations could result in civil penalties of up to $10,000, with enforcement based on public complaints investigated by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.Illinois is not the only state taking action. It is now the third state to impose such restrictions, joining Utah and Nevada. Utah introduced its rules in May, limiting AI's role in therapy, while Nevada followed in June with a similar crackdown on AI companies offering mental health services.
The bans on using AI in therapy come amid mounting warnings from psychologists, researchers, and policymakers. They caution that unregulated AI chatbots can steer the conversations between the users and AI into dangerous territory, sometimes encouraging harmful behaviour or failing to step in when someone is in crisis.A Stanford University study (via The Washington Post) earlier this year found that many chatbots responded to prompts about suicide or risky activities — such as when a users asked chatbot for locations of high bridges to jump from the chatbot gave the list straightforward, even encouraging, answers rather than directing users to seek help.'This is the opposite of what a therapist does,' said Vaile Wright of the American Psychological Association, explaining that human therapists not only validate emotions but also challenge unhealthy thoughts and guide patients towards safer coping strategies.And it's not just one study raising red flags. In another case, researchers at the University of California, Berkeley found that some AI chatbots were willing to suggest dangerous behaviour when prompted hypothetically — for example, advising a fictional addict to use drugs. Experts have also raised privacy concerns, warning that many users may not realise their conversations with chatbots are stored or used for training purposes.Researchers are even arguing that marketing AI tools as therapy is deceptive and potentially dangerous. 'You shouldn't be able to go on an app store and interact with something calling itself a 'licensed' therapist,' said Jared Moore, a Stanford researcher.- Ends