Bills to regulate AI ‘therapy’ may miss the mark

Following several recent, high-profile situations in which chat engines have encouraged suicidal behavior, U.S. legislators acted to put some of the first restrictions on AI. Across New England, states have introduced legislation with a goal of protecting people from the harmful behaviors of artificial intelligence-based “therapy.” However, some experts feel the proposed bills are not properly directed and merit further discussion and study to ensure stated goals are met. A bill in Vermont has raised concerns for Rick Barnett, Psy.D., chair of the legislative committee for the Vermont Psychological Association. While he did not outright oppos...