Why AI CANNOT do therapy (2)
2026.06.18
Hello, I am Tatsuya Arakawa, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in California.
In my previous article, I discussed why AI cannot provide therapy.
In this article, I will continue to explore why AI therapy is fundamentally unsustainable.
4. AI Cannot Be Regulated and Held Accountable Like Humans
First and foremost, practicing therapy in the United States requires a professional license, and obtaining that license is no easy. This is standard practice in countries with advanced psychiatric and psychological care systems, such as the U.S. and European nations. In the U.S., a leader in mental healthcare and psychology, the regulation of these licenses is strictly enforced. If a therapist commits a crime, their license can be revoked. Even for minor offenses that do not warrant revocation, they still face severe penalties, including hefty fines and mandatory training hours. This demonstrates that being a therapist demands a high level of ethics, even in one’s personal life.
When you think about it, this is only natural. In many cases, clients seek therapy when they are at the lowest points in their lives. Therapists are essentially carrying the weight of their clients' lives alongside them.
However, robots do not have emotions, so they lack this sense of responsibility. As a result, they may say things that are completely unhelpful or even trigger disastrous consequences. (In fact, there are already cases where individuals have committed crimes because "the AI told them to." I will discuss this further in my next article.) Furthermore, it is difficult for a government to regulate a robot the same way it regulates a human. Even if an AI worsens a client’s mental illness, it cannot be held accountable or penalized. After all, an AI can simply be replicated into countless copies.
5. Therapy Is More Than Just Listening to a Client Talk
During a therapy session, the moments where a client experiences the most growth are when they push themselves to confront problems they would rather avoid. To facilitate this, a therapist must sometimes tell the client things they may not want to hear.
A robot cannot do this. Furthermore, AI is programmed to respond in ways that merely accommodate the user's convenience. Consequently, robots can only provide temporary, superficial fixes, which does not constitute genuine therapy.
6. Healing the Mind Is Impossible Without Emotional Engagement
Finally, even if an AI could somehow tell a client what they do not want to hear, when humans interact with AI, a crucial element present in human-to-human interaction is missing: emotion. Because you are not dealing with a human being, you simply do not experience the same depth of emotion as you would with a person.
The healing process that leads to a healthy mind only occurs through the continuous exchange of emotions with a therapist. Since humans do not experience the same level of emotional resonance with an AI, this vital exchange of heightened emotions never takes place. As a result, it fails to function as therapy.
I hope you find this information helpful.
Tatsuya Arakawa Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT 82425), California