Can an AI therapist help you through the day?

by Ben Rein

Would you let an AI chatbot be your therapist?

A recent study wanted to know if this would work, so they asked AI about 200 questions from the “Ask the Doctors” page on Reddit. Then they put those answers next to responses from real human doctors and asked healthcare providers to judge which was better, without knowing which one was AI. What do you think happened? They rated the chatbot’s answers as better 78% of the time and found that they were more likely to be empathetic.

But this raises a key point: empathy.

Everybody knows that ChatGPT can’t feel emotions. Therefore, it’s not capable of empathy, because it can’t really understand what you feel. And some scientists think that this is where AI loses: Chatbots will never work as therapists because humans won’t accept or appreciate empathy from a robot.

@dr.brein Can an AI chatbot really be your therapist? ________ This video was supported by the Pulitzer Center through the Truth Decay Grant Initiative, in collaboration with OpenMind Magazine. To read more about this topic, check out the accompanying article on OpenMind’s website, found in my bio 🔗. #PulitzerCenter #neuroscience #AI #therapy #empathy ♬ Mysterious and sad BGM(1120058) - S and N

When a real company, Koko, tried using chatbots, it didn’t work because people knew they were chatbots. The patients didn’t care when the chatbot said, “I understand how you’re feeling” because they knew it was an empty, emotionless statement.

But it makes me wonder, if chatbots continue gaining in use and acceptance, and we come to respect them more, this could change. And I’m curious how you’d feel about that.

If 100 years from now, AI chatbots are considered trained psychiatrists, would this be good or bad for society? It might seem ridiculous, but it’s real life. Right now, we essentially hold that decision in our hands. We are the first humans to coexist with these large language models, and we actively vote as consumers—with our clicks and our wallets—to determine the future of AI. In what capacity will we come to embrace AI? Where do we draw the line? It’s something to think about as we navigate this new virtual world. Thank you for your interest, and please follow for more science.

This story originally appeared on OpenMind, a digital magazine tackling science controversies and deceptions.

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Building an app can help you grow your business, here's how to do it right

Photo: relexahotels/Pixabay

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StatePoint - In today’s world, apps are crucial for business growth and customer experience. They enable shopping, appointment setting and customer service interactions. In fact, around three-quarters of U.S. adults say they buy things online using a smartphone, according to Pew Research, which means if you don’t have an app for your business, you’re leaving money on the table. However, if building one sounds daunting, experts say there is good news -- artificial intelligence can help.

“AI enhances app development through code generation, chatbots, process optimization, content creation, user stories and prototype generation. Anyone, even with little to no experience, can quickly and cost-effectively develop an app using AI,” says Sachin Dev Duggal, founder and chief wizard at Builder.ai, an AI-powered composable software platform that allows every business and entrepreneur to become digitally powered.

Despite the relative ease of developing an app harnessing today’s AI tech, it’s nevertheless important to get your app right. With over 77% of users uninstalling an app within the first three days after download, according to WifiTalents, you’ll want to ensure your app provides your users with real value.

So, before building your app, first consider how it will help customers, and how it will help you solve your short- and long-term business objectives. Asking yourself these questions can give you clarity on the type of app you need, how you will fund and maintain your app, and how it will function.

When you are ready to begin development, here are the benefits you can anticipate by using AI to meet your objectives:

• Rapid development: AI-driven platforms significantly reduce development time.
• Unlimited customizations: AI app development platforms offer pre-built, customizable modules.
• High performance: AI creates high-performance apps with fast load times and smooth user experiences.
• Cost efficiency: AI reduces the need for extensive developer hiring, lowering costs.
• Error reduction: Around 66% of software projects fail. The primary cause? Human error.
• Seamless articulation: New AI technology allows you to speak directly with the development platform, enabling you to convey your ideas and instructions effortlessly, making app development more intuitive and efficient.

So, how do you actually use AI to build your app? In the case of Builder.ai, it’s as simple as following these simple steps:

1. Choose and customize a base template.
2. Review and finalize features.
3. Identify the app’s platform (Android, iOS, desktop) and build a timeline.
4. Establish a payment plan.
5. Match with a product expert for guidance.
6. Review and monitor the app’s progress.
7. Launch your app.
8. Leverage data from your app to optimize business.

To learn more about developing your app with Builder.ai, visit https://www.builder.ai/.

“AI automates repetitive tasks, code generation, bug detection and testing, resulting in shorter development cycles and reduced costs while maintaining high quality. By giving everyone, regardless of their tech knowledge the power to build applications, we’re removing the barriers that have traditionally stopped individuals and business owners from unlocking their potential,” says Duggal.

League of Women Voters of Illinois hosting lecture on AI and misinformation

CHICAGO – Diane Chang will give a Zoom talk concerning strategies on how to protect and secure democracy in an age of threats from social media and AI for a virtual meeting of the League of Women Voters of Illinois (LWVIL) on Wednesday, April 17.

Addressing the rise of misinformation and disinformation — and its impact on our elections — the League of Women Voters of Illinois formed the Mis/Disinformation Task Force in January 2024 with their mission to educate the general public on mis/disinformation.

Diane Chang

Chang, Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the Brown Institute for Media Innovation at Columbia Journalism School and the former head of Election Integrity and Product Strategy at Meta, will discuss her experience building artificial intelligence and consumer technology products that connect people to information, safety, and sustainability. She led Meta’s election strategy integrity and product strategy from 2021–23.

In her current position at the Brown Institute, Ms. Chang is an advisor and consultant to nonprofits in the U.S. and abroad on technology and elections. She has a master’s degree in public policy from the Harvard Kennedy School Research Institute at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass.

Organized by LWVIL’s Misinformation and Disinformation Task Force, the event is the second in a series of presentations where noted authorities will discuss topics that inform and educate voters starting at 7 p.m. The webinar is free and open to the public. All programs are recorded and made available on the LWVIL website.

Visit lwvil.org/misdis-info for more information or to register.

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Some things to keep in mind when you need a law firm

StatePoint Media - Let’s face it, no person or business gets a thrill out of hiring a law firm. Fortunately, peer-reviewed rankings have simplified the process.

Best Lawyers, which has been tracking trends and innovations in the legal industry for more than four decades, serves as a trusted resource for identifying what it takes to be a preeminent law firm in the United States. Their recently released 14th annual rankings of Best Law Firms, found at bestlawfirms.com, provides keen insight, not only into the most successful law firms, but also the key factors to keep an eye out for when going through the reliably trying task of retaining counsel.

Here is some of Best Lawyers’ advice:

1. Does the firm use the latest technology?

Right now, even the legal profession is abuzz about generative Artificial Intelligence (gen AI) tools. With its ability to parse information more quickly, gen AI offers the immediate potential to automate routine tasks such as research; summarizing long, complex content; and writing first drafts of simple documents such as NDAs. All of which can save both time and money.

And smart firms are closely watching regulations and any risks that this new technology may bring, all while using it for the benefit of the firm and its clients.

2. What do other legal experts think about the way they do business?

There are better options available than just word of mouth when choosing legal representation. After all, hiring a law firm isn’t like choosing which novel to download next. Through Best Laywers’ research process, a firm’s performance is assessed by its peers, ultimately helping consumers make better-informed decisions.

Why is this important? At its heart, a robust peer-review process like Best Lawyers’ asks legal professionals to answer this key question: “If you had a legal issue and could not represent yourself, what firm would you hire?” This peer-review method is critical, and offers a straightforward way to help identify the most trusted firms.

3. Does the law firm embrace diversity?

Today’s leading law firms know that to be successful, the makeup of their staff should represent the communities they serve. Inclusion is a necessary element of well-rounded representation because a team with different backgrounds and experiences will bring diverse points of view to solving clients’ unique and complex challenges.

Fortunately, in recent years there has been an uptick in law firm diversity. In 2023, 21.6% of attorneys were members of traditionally underrepresented ethnic groups, according to an American Lawyer survey. That’s up more than 20% from the same survey just three years prior.

As a consumer, consider asking a law firm about its diversity track record. In fact, the best law firms will not only expect the question but welcome it.

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