Amman — Concerns and anxiety surrounding artificial intelligence have become a regular part of the working day for Candice N. Thompson, a psychotherapist working in Silicon Valley. Her clients, most of whom are high-performing employees in the technology sector, have expressed practical concerns about AI’s impact on their careers, as well as broader anxieties about its implications for the future of humanity an issue widely discussed last month after a former expert in the field warned that rapidly advancing technology could ultimately destroy us all.
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Artificial intelligence... an existential threat
Thompson, who has practiced psychotherapy for more than 17 years, says: “Throughout my career in therapy, I have never seen an existential threat like this. I don’t think any of us are immune to this danger, including my clients who do not work in technology.”
Other psychotherapists say AI-related concerns are becoming increasingly common among their clients as the technology reshapes workplaces, consumes natural resources, and raises concerns about privacy and security.
Americans’ deep “skepticism”
A study conducted by the Pew Research Center and published last June found that Americans view artificial intelligence with a great deal of “deep skepticism.”
A larger share of adults expected AI to have a negative impact on them and society than a positive one. In addition, about two-thirds of survey respondents said they felt AI technology was developing too quickly.
“AI depression”... after climate-change depression
Sherry Turkle, a sociologist, professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and author of Artificial Intimacy: How We Become When We Talk to Machines, says: “People feel a lack of agency, a profound sense of helplessness and a loss of control.”
She adds: “There is a similarity between this situation and depression caused by climate change. You feel that something is deeply wrong, but you may see any action as futile, so the depression becomes a general, vague state.”
How does AI anxiety appear in psychotherapy sessions?
For people already diagnosed with disorders such as generalized anxiety disorder, distress caused by AI may appear more intense. Emma Pasto, a 32-year-old mother of three young children who lives in Milton, New Hampshire, said she found herself thinking about AI almost continuously for several days after reading the latest doomsday predictions and learning that some people use AI image-generation tools to create non-consensual sexual content.
Pasto, who has obsessive-compulsive disorder, said she tends to fall into cycles of anxiety because her mind convinces her that constantly thinking about something will somehow keep her safe. She described the feeling as “like having a thorn in your shoe; you may get busy doing other things, but it is still there, constantly poking you.”
She said her therapist helped her break the cycle by reminding her that there are simply some things she cannot control, adding: “Worrying about these things won’t help.”
Clinic patients’ concerns about technology
Rachel Wood, a psychotherapist who studies the psychological effects of technology, regularly travels across the country to educate fellow therapists about how people interact with AI, explain the latest research into its effects, and discuss how it is appearing in clinical therapeutic practices.
She recently held a workshop with a group of psychologists in Oregon and asked attendees whether their clients had raised existential concerns about AI. About half of the therapists answered yes.
Wood, who runs a small private practice in Colorado Springs, Colorado, said some of her own clients also raise the issue.
Grief over “irreversible change”
She explained that their anxiety is often linked to feelings of grief over “the irreversible change that we are experiencing now, and the tremendous speed at which this change is happening,” adding: “It is really difficult to keep up with this and absorb what it means at such a rapid pace.”
As AI takes on tasks that were previously performed by humans, many people are asking: “What value do I bring?” Wood noted that this shift in professional identity is one of the main aspects contributing to clients’ feelings of loss and uncertainty.
Between enthusiasm and declining critical thinking
Yuxin Sun, a psychologist in Seattle, said not all of her clients express concerns about AI. Some, she said, are “very excited about AI” and view it primarily in a positive light. Others, however, have found it more difficult to process what AI means for them and their families.
For example, some software engineers who have begun asking AI to write code instead of doing it themselves have told Sun that they feel they are losing the most exciting and meaningful part of their work. Parents have also expressed concerns that AI could erode their children’s critical-thinking skills.
How can we stop the cycle?
There are no simple answers, but experts advise focusing on “the present moment and doing what you can to make a tangible difference, whether in your personal life or in public affairs.”
Pasto uses the “5 Calls” app to contact elected officials and call for stronger regulatory safeguards for AI. Thompson, meanwhile, advocates for the ethical use of technology in mental healthcare. Last year, she gave a TEDx talk titled “Why AI Can’t Be Your Therapist,” highlighting the relationship-based nature of psychotherapy, confidentiality, and the unique ethical standards and boundaries designed to protect the therapeutic relationship.
Thompson says: “We are at a pivotal turning point where we still have some control and can make our voices heard on this issue.”
Sun notes that the existential anxiety expressed by some psychotherapy clients often stems from a sense of losing control and meaning. She suggests that asking the following question may be helpful: “What are the things I will not delegate to AI?” She encourages her clients to view this period as an opportunity to reassess what truly matters to them.
Resource: Al-Ghad.
