A recent webinar series organized by the American Psychological Association (APA) delved into the potential impacts of generative artificial intelligence (AI) on psychological practices. This article highlights the positive effects of generative AI technologies on education and clinical practices, and discusses the ethical use of these new tools.
The Role of Generative AI in Education: Generative AI offers significant advantages in the field of education, particularly for teachers and students. For instance, Regan A. R. Gurung from Oregon State University discussed how AI could be a valuable tool for creating teaching materials and assessment criteria. AI enhances the educational process by enabling more effective student evaluations.
Generative AI in Clinical Practices: In clinical settings, the use of generative AI can improve how therapists and counselors manage patient notes. Experts like Jessica Jackson highlighted the potential of AI to automate note-taking during therapy sessions and develop tools that provide support between sessions.
Ethical Use of Generative AI: Like any technological advancement, the use of generative AI comes with ethical considerations. Using AI technologies ethically involves protecting data privacy and avoiding misleading information. APA’s efforts to develop ethical standards are crucial in ensuring responsible use of these tools.
Generative AI has the potential to revolutionize psychological practice and education. These technologies can be applied across a broad spectrum of activities, from creating educational materials to managing patients. However, the opportunities brought by these tools also come with new responsibilities for psychologists and educators. Understanding the impacts of generative AI and using these technologies ethically are among the most important requirements of this new era.
~ Dr. Saadet Yeliz Orhan
