Illinois has banned AI from acting as a therapist for human users, joining Nevada and Utah in regulating the emergence of chatbots in mental health.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) signed the Wellness and Oversight for Psychological Resources (WOPR) Act into law last week, making his state the latest to place restrictions on AI usage for emotional support and advice, according to a report by Axios.
The legislation reportedly prohibits all AI-driven tools from giving mental health and therapeutic advice, including diagnosing patients. Violating the newly-signed WOPR Act could result in a $10,000 fine by Illinois’ regulatory agency.
Human therapists are still permitted to use artificial intelligence for administrative tasks, such as taking notes and making plans.
Kyle Hillman, legislative director of the National Association of Social Workers, told Axios, “If you would have opened up a corner shop and started saying you’re a clinical social worker, the department would shut you down pretty quickly, right?”
“But somehow we were allowing an algorithm to work unregulated,” Hillman added.
As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly advanced — and integrated into people’s everyday lives — some have turned to the technology for advice and companionship.
“Any licensed profession should be protected from misrepresentation,” Vaile Wright, senior director of innovation at the American Psychological Association, said. “You’re putting the public at risk when you imply there’s a level of expertise that isn’t really there.”
The new Illinois law also reportedly affects users’ experiences on AI apps, which are now issuing disclaimers.
Meanwhile, Illinois users who try to set up a profile on the AI app Ash Therapy are now blocked, and instead receive a message informing them, “The state of Illinois is currently figuring out how to set policies around services like Ash. In the meantime, we’ve decided not to operate in Illinois.”
As Breitbart News reported, generative AI chatbots like OpenAI’s ChatGPT are driving some vulnerable users into delusional spirals and drug abuse, distorting their sense of reality in disturbing ways.
People have also fallen victim to spiritual fantasies sparked by interactions with chatbots, with social media users describing the phenomenon as “ChatGPT induced psychosis,” while AI bots feed into disturbing visions and mental illness.
Alana Mastrangelo is a reporter for Breitbart News. You can follow her on Facebook and X at @ARmastrangelo, and on Instagram.
