AI Therapist

            “We are replacing people not with machines, nor with computers, so much as with method.” In The Most Human Human, Brian Christian discusses how, strangely enough, when tested, a computer system known as ELIZA acted as a better therapist to human beings than most psychologists. When I first read this, it seemed extremely strange to me. People-real human people- have emotions, feelings, and thoughts, and they have the capability to understand situations. It seems only logical that, if something troubling occurs, a person would tell another person. It seems only natural for someone in need of therapy to go to a therapist. However, according to Brian Christian, this isn’t necessarily the case. Christian says that when first testing ELIZA, its creator, Joseph Weizenbaum, was amazed, as the results were astounding: “people who first talked to ELIZA were convinced they were having a genuine human interaction.” As Christian tells us, Weizenbaum proceeded to end the ELIZA project and turned completely against AI technology after gaining these results.

            If I were in Weizenbaum’s place, my reaction would most likely be extremely similar to his. I would be massively freaked out that human beings- no different than myself- preferred going to computers as opposed to living, breathing people for advice. It seems crazy, especially after watching the 2004 movie, I, Robot. The computer villain, VIKI, wants to make the human race completely controlled by robots because she does not believe humans are capable of taking care of themselves.

            The movie, I, Robot and The Most Human Human caused me to have two conflicting feelings on computer therapists, or just about going to computers for help in human related situations in general. On one hand, there is Brian Christian’s statement on method. He claims that people feel comfortable speaking to computers about their problems because they use the same method as a therapist would. They use the same questions and processes that humans are used to in these situations, so they do not feel much different than they would if they were speaking to a human therapist. Still, it was strange to me to think that humans would feel comfortable sharing their innermost thoughts with a computer, even if they were using the same “method.” However, then I thought about journaling. Journaling is something I enjoy doing, and writing my thoughts down is a good stress reliever. By writing my thoughts in a journal, I am able to release built up emotion without judgment. After all, that’s why people journal in the first place. Oddly enough, telling your thoughts and frustrations to a computer is no different. Computers are databases of information. They can’t judge you the way humans do. They have no desire to. After thinking about this, it seems logical that people would rather confess their innermost secrets to a computer as opposed to a human, especially if they are using the same method anyway.

            However, on the other hand, I still have doubts, as, unlike a notebook, computers are databases of information. They have the ability to take the information given to them and use it to draw their own conclusions. While I, Robot is a fictional movie, the thoughts and actions of VIKI and the robots are not impossible. VIKI, the computer system, was programmed with the idea that robots were meant to serve humans and upkeep the human race. However, after observing human actions, she took that information and came to the conclusion that humans were not capable of protecting themselves without robots in control. She took the information she had and drew her own conclusions from it. By venting to computers, we are providing them more and more information. While it is pretty far fetched that robots would “take over the world,” it doesn’t seem that overly far fetched to assume that computers could surpass the human race or take the place of humans in certain situations. While this could be helpful in some ways, it could also be dangerous in others. I think it is extremely important for humans to be mindful of all they use AI technology for and to never underestimate the importance of human interaction.