States are taking action to regulate AI in mental health services amid growing concerns over its unregulated use, particularly in therapy. Illinois has enacted a law banning AI's role in therapy decision-making, allowing its use only for administrative tasks. This legislation aims to protect patients from unqualified AI guidance while also maintaining jobs for mental health professionals. The risks associated with AI in therapy include potentially harmful advice and the replacement of human interaction, especially for vulnerable populations like teens, who often find AI interactions satisfying. Violations of the law carry significant penalties.
"The people of Illinois deserve quality healthcare from real, qualified professionals and not computer programs that pull information from all corners of the internet to generate responses that harm patients," IDFPR Secretary Mario Treto, Jr. said.
The risks inherent in non-human algorithms doling out mental health guidance are myriad, from encouraging recovering addicts to have a "small hit of meth" to engaging young users so successfully that they withdraw from their peers.
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