This is a hybrid event. Participants may attend in-person at BGSP (1581 Beacon Street, Brookline, MA) or via Zoom.
Artificial Intelligence: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
As the use of artificial intelligence (AI) expands to digital companionship, art and film, and even therapy, how do we know what’s real?
While AI has the ability to deliver breakthroughs in medical diagnostics, ease tasks, and provide personalized education, it comes with increasing anxiety about this powerful tool. Pew Research (2023) suggests that 52% of Americans report feeling more concerned than excited about AI. Beyond fears of job displacement and the breaking of ethical boundaries, there are deep concerns about the blurring of lines between genuine interpersonal communication and machine fabricated interactions. The proliferation of AI therapists adds another layer of complexity. While providing accessible, low-cost support, experts warn of a fake intimacy that can lead to unhealthy results.
Join us for a discussion of the benefits that AI can offer and the detriments it may bring, including the erosion of meaningful human connection.
Presenter
Todd Essig, Ph.D. is Faculty and Training and Supervising Psychoanalyst at the William Alanson White Institute, Faculty at the NYU Postdoctoral Program in Psychoanalysis, Psychotherapy Action Network (PsiAN) Advisory Board Member, and Distinguished Fellow of the NYS Psychological Association (NYSPA). Widely known as a pioneer in the innovative uses of mental health technologies who publishes and lectures widely, in 2023 he founded and currently chairs APsA’s Presidential Commission on Artificial Intelligence (CAI) and serves on the International Psychoanalytical Association’s (IPA) AI Committee. Previously, he was a member of the IPA’s task force on tele-sessions and psychoanalytic education where he co-authored the “TF2 Report” used as the basis for IPA educational policy. During the pandemic, he co-chaired APsA’s Covid-19 Advisory Team, where he was awarded Distinguished Service awards from APsA and NYSPA. For 10 years, until the pandemic hit, he wrote "Managing Mental Wealth" for Forbes. Dr. Essig maintains a private practice in New York, where he treats individuals and couples.
References:
Frances, A. (2025). Warning: AI chatbots will soon dominate psychotherapy. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 1-5.
Govrin, A. (2025). Beyond the black box: why algorithms cannot replace the unconscious or the psychodynamic therapist. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 16, 1614125.
Gratch, I., & Essig, T. (2025). A Letter about “Randomized Trial of a Generative AI Chatbot for Mental Health Treatment.” NEJM AI, 2(9), AIp2500390.
Discussant
Stephen Soldz, Ph.D., a Professor at the Boston Graduate School of Psychoanalysis, is a clinical psychologist, psychoanalyst, and research methodologist with a background in mathematics. He is a past president of Psychologists for Social Responsibility, a cofounder of the Coalition for an Ethical Psychology, and Anti-Torture Adviser to Physicians for Human Rights. Dr. Soldz has published extensively in psychological research literature and on the intersection of psychology and social issues, including the role of psychologists in torture and coercive interrogations and other national security operations. He served as a consultant in several Guantánamo trials. Soldz has been interviewed by or featured in media worldwide, from the New York Times, NPR, CNN, Washington Post, and Chronicle of Higher Education to radio in South Africa, Jamaica, Switzerland, Ireland, New Zealand, among many others. In the 1990s, Soldz collaborated with a computer scientist in developing a project to apply AI, as then conceptualized, to the mental health field. (Alas, after several years of efforts, they were unable to obtain funding.)
Objectives
The participant will be able to:
- Identify three risks of using AI for therapy.
- Explain why AI is appealing to users despite the risks.
- Describe two strategies for lowering AI-risk anxieties.
2 CE Units / Clock Hours Available
BGSP is authorized to provide CEs for: Psychologists (all levels), Social Workers, Counselors
Boston Graduate School of Psychoanalysis is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. BGSP maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
Boston Graduate School of Psychoanalysis has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 5676. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Boston Graduate School of Psychoanalysis is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
Application for social work continuing education credits is being submitted. Please contact us at continuinged@bgsp.edu for the status of social work CE accreditation.
For information on continuing education credits for nurses, social workers, or marriage and family counseling, call (617) 277-3915.
Direct inquiries may be made regarding the accreditation status by NECHE to the administrative staff of the institution. Individuals may also contact: New England Commission on Higher Education, 3 Burlington Woods Drive, Ste 100, Burlington, MA 01803-4514, at (781) 425-7785 or email: info@neche.org
The Boston Graduate School of Psychoanalysis is accredited by the New England Commission on Higher Education.
Direct inquiries may be made regarding the accreditation status by NECHE to the administrative staff of the institution. Individuals may also contact: New England Commission on Higher Education, 3 Burlington Woods Drive, Ste 100, Burlington, MA 01803-4514, at (781) 425-7785 or email: info@neche.org
