3 Reasons Why AI Therapy Chatbots Are Not Therapy
Ok, let me first start by acknowledging that I am biased on this topic, being a human therapist myself. I mean, if AI therapy chatbots replace human therapists in the future I would need to change careers. But that is not what truly has me concerned. There are a few other reasons why I think that AI therapy chatbots are not in the best interests of people looking for therapy services. What are those reasons? I am glad you asked!
It’s All About Connection
The “magic sauce,” if you will, of therapy, is the connection between the therapist and the client. That is where everything happens. As humans, we are social beings, and a lot of what is addressed in therapy comes down to the health of our connections. Whether it is our relationship with ourselves, the impact that our family had on us growing up, our relationship with those closest to us, and even our relationships at work, when these areas of our lives are not going well it affects everything else. There are a lot of self-help books, blogs, and even podcasts out there that share ways to improve relationships. What makes therapy different is the chance to address these things in real time with another person who can provide insight, clarity, and even appropriate challenges to help you better understand what is going on in your relationships and how to make things better. AI therapy chatbots can likely point you in the direction of helpful information, but it is not going to get to know you the way that a therapist will. The power of therapy lies in building a healthy connection with your therapist so that you can take those skills and apply them in other areas of your life. As you experience a healthy and appropriate connection with your therapist the way you relate to yourself and others will change. I just do not see the same benefit happening with AI.
2. It’s All In The Details
Much along the same lines as above, the therapy process also relies heavily on subtle details of what takes place during a session. As you talk with your therapist they are taking in much more than just the words you are saying. Your therapist is taking note of your tone, volume, word choice, eye contact, facial expressions, body language, energy level, and even changes in your overall appearance and mood. They are noting the speed at which you are talking and the pauses, or lack thereof, between words or phrases. All of this is not to judge you as a person, it is to get to know you better and to gain a deeper understanding of your unique experience. Therapists use this insight to help guide your therapy process. For example, when asked how you are doing today, you might instinctually answer with “fine.” Your therapist, however, might note the rushed way in which you spoke that word and the pained look on your face and know to give you a bit more time to settle into the session so that you can be comfortable sharing a more authentic answer. AI therapy chatbots will only have your words to go off of and so much valuable information will be missed. This is also why text therapy is not the same thing as an in-person or online therapy session. Yes, you might get some immediate help in the moment, but what is shared over text will only go so deep, and there is so much more about you that cannot be addressed through text or chat alone.
3. Privacy Concerns
While so much of our lives are already online, it is still very important for us to protect ourselves from the misuse of our information. Our health and well-being are private matters, and that is especially true of our mental health. As I understand it, AI therapy chatbots are currently in an information-gathering stage. The chats that are taking place now are helping AI learn how to better meet our needs. It is amazing that AI is capable of being shaped by each interaction, that shows just how far technology has come already. But, this also means that the information shared in these chats is being analyzed for additional purposes than the one you originally typed in. What you type is also likely stored somewhere, at least for some time. I will not claim to understand exactly how that all works, or how the use of that information is or is not relegated. My concern is that private information might end up being used for purposes that are not in the best interest of the client or what the client was seeking, and that information could be leaked to other sources.
So, What Do I Mean?
My biased position is that AI therapy chatbots should not and cannot replace therapy. Yes, they might be able to point you in the direction of very helpful information. That I will not deny. But therapy is about so much more than that. Therapy is a place to learn not just about anxiety or depression and the top 10 things that will improve your dating relationship. Therapy is a chance to see yourself in a way you have not had the opportunity to before. It is the chance to be honest and authentic with someone else, someone whose purpose is helping you heal and grow. It is a chance to break free from patterns and beliefs that you have been stuck in and create something new. Yes, I have a particular interest in keeping therapy around, but having been on both sides of the couch for a few years now, I can honestly say that I hope, not just for my sake, that human-to-human therapy is around to stay.
