By Anshika Singh (Psychology Internship Program @ Tripta Wellness Home, Rajodi)
The integration of artificial intelligence into mental health care has led to a range of responses. For many, including myself, the idea seems counterintuitive. How could a machine understand the humanness of emotion or the trust that builds between a therapist and a client? But AI is no longer a distant possibility. It is already part of how mental health services are evolving. These tools are being used to screen for symptoms, help with clinical documentation, and even simulate therapeutic conversations through chatbots. By picking up on patterns in language and behavior, AI offers new ways to support care, especially in a world where many people still struggle to access it. Still, with every step forward, new questions arise. How do we protect the human element of therapy? Can a tool that runs on code truly contribute to healing? As we make space for technology in mental health, we also need to talk about what we might lose, and how we can use it wisely.
Where AI Fills the Gaps in the System
AI is stepping in to offer much needed support to a mental health system stretched thin. With waitlists growing and demand for care rising, AI can help prioritize treatment, keep clinicians organized, and guide individuals through proven therapeutic techniques.
According to the APA Monitor, AI could free up therapists to focus on what they do best: being fully present with their clients. Research according to IEEE Pulse shows another way AI is making a difference; by giving therapists feedback on their sessions. These tools help to analyze pacing, word choice, and even the warmth of their responses. Over time, these insights can help professionals refine their skills and increase their impact.
For some people, opening up to a chatbot feels easier than talking to another person. Without fear of judgment and with the comfort of anonymity, difficult conversations can feel more approachable.
Why Caution Still Matters
AI continues to advance but still struggles where it matters most. Therapy depends on human connection, trust, and understanding, qualities an algorithm cannot replicate. Serious concerns remain about privacy and data security. When people share personal struggles with a chatbot, where does that data go? Who controls it? Is it truly protected or could it be misused? Bias presents another significant challenge. AI reflects the data it learns from, including any cultural or racial biases within it. A voice-based tool might misread emotions in someone with an unfamiliar accent. A diagnostic model could overlook symptoms more common in marginalized groups. These flaws are not minor technical issues. They risk causing real harm by perpetuating inequalities rather than resolving them.
Most importantly, AI lacks human experience. It cannot truly comprehend grief or trauma. It analyzes patterns but cannot empathize. In therapy, feeling heard and understood is often the foundation of healing.
Accountability remains unclear. If an AI tool gives harmful advice, who bears responsibility? The developers? The providers? The users? Without strict regulation, transparency, and ongoing oversight, these tools may create more problems than they solve.
Keeping the Human in the Loop
Many therapists and researchers believe that AI should support therapy, not replace it. The most helpful use of AI is in managing tasks that allow therapists to focus more on their clients. Machines can organize data or track patterns, but only a human can understand context and build connections. AI might help a therapist get ready for a session by reviewing notes or suggesting follow-up topics. During the session, it could provide small reminders or track themes over time. Afterward, it might help organize progress updates. These tasks can be useful, but they should stay in the background.
What really matters is that the therapist leads the process. They listen, respond, and adapt based on a client’s experience– not just the data. The heart of therapy lies in the relationship, and no machine can replace that. People also need to be well informed about what they’re agreeing to when they use AI tools. They should be told how their information is being used and what the tool can and cannot do.
Designing with Empathy, not just Efficacy
Rather than viewing AI as a solution waiting to replace the therapist, we might begin to ask what new kinds of therapeutic relationships are possible when humans and machines work together. Could AI help therapists reach people who have never considered seeking help? Could it support young people who are more comfortable typing to a screen than speaking in person? And could it make care more adaptive, responsive, and consistent? These aren’t questions we can answer with certainty. But they invite us to think creatively and carefully. The future of mental health care isn’t just about efficiency or access. It’s also about trust, presence, and dignity. That means AI’s role should always be defined by human values, not just technical capabilities.
The real challenge is figuring out how to integrate technology into care in ways that are thoughtful, respectful, and genuinely helpful, without letting it crowd out the relationships at the heart of mental health support.
References
https://www.apa.org/monitor/2023/07/psychology-embracing-ai
https://www.embs.org/pulse/articles/improving-psychotherapy-with-ai-from-the-couch-to-the-keyboard