A.I. Anxiety Is Showing Up in Therapy

Patients and providers are processing their uncertainty in real time.

A.I. Anxiety Is Showing Up in Therapy

TL;DR

  • Therapist Candice N. Thompson notes AI-related fears are a regular part of her Silicon Valley practice.
  • Clients, including tech employees, worry about AI's work impact and broader existential risks.
  • Thompson has not seen an existential threat like AI in her 17 years of practice.
  • Concerns about AI stem from its impact on the workplace, resource consumption, privacy, and security.
  • A Pew Research Center study found Americans are skeptical of AI, predicting more negative than positive impacts.
  • About two-thirds of those surveyed believe AI is advancing too fast.
  • Sociologist Sherry Turkle notes AI contributes to a public feeling of disempowerment.