We've had quite a variety of responses from people watching 60 Minutes segment on CHATBOTS AS THERAPISTS. Here are a few:
Dear Suze, The 60 Minutes episode made me think about franchise opportunities for AI mental health care. Pitch: low affordable mental health care available 24/7, no staff, no Doctors to pay (except to supervise the bots). Could be a profitable gig. Easy to tailor the programming to the patient. Some men may respond better to a programmed meek female, or that of a confident motherly voice. If a women has a weakness for strong men, it can be arranged for the AI voice to cater to that subconscious bias. We can program the AI to act as a friend, use terms of endearment, maybe more like a friend that you pay for? Would a program be held to the same ethical standards of other mental health professionals? This opens a can of worms don't you think?
Dear Can Opener, A can of worms would be nothing compared to the Pandora's Box nightmares you raise as possible outcomes of AI therapists. The good and bad issues you described are all possibilities that can happen. Any unregulated and ethically uncontrolled psychology and psychiatry counseling risks great harm to the patient/client. Like all doctors, mental health professionals #1 duty is: DO NO HARM. Until the AI therapists are safe for humans, I'd recommend sticking to robot as girlfriends where few regulation exists and "do enjoy yourself" is the goal. --SQ
Dear S.Q., I sometime talk painful things over with my dog and I consider this great therapy. He gives me soulful looks when he agrees. Can a robot give this good communication and comfort?
Dear Suze Q., After seeing 2001: A Space Odyssey all those years ago, I'm terrified my AI therapist would be named HAL and when I ask him for something, he'd destroy my ego and dismiss me saying, "I'm sorry, Dave. I'm afraid I can't do that." Or worse yet, he'd decimate my fragile self-esteem and say, "Dave, this conversation can serve no purpose anymore. Goodbye." Signed, just another Dave
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