Artificial Intelligence in and Beyond Healthcare Psychology.

Abstract

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been developed through interdisciplinary efforts since the 1940s, but generative AI and Large Language Models (LLMs) gained unprecedented attention with the launch of ChatGPT by OpenAI in late 2022. As these AI tools have become globally ubiquitous, significant implications arise for clinicians within and beyond healthcare settings. The simulation or emulation of human intelligence through coded heuristics now permeates clinical domains, creating new opportunities alongside ethical challenges that require careful exploration. For healthcare psychologists, regardless of specialty, it has become a priority to remain at the forefront of these technological advances. This includes developing literacy not only in psychological emulation software but also in the rapidly growing hardware that supports AI. Well-informed clinicians must act as responsible stewards of this advancing technology and its application in healthcare. These responsibilities must be approached through the lens of both existing and evolving ethical standards in human psychology. Although these tasks may seem daunting, the urgency, opportunities, and necessity for healthcare psychologists to engage thoughtfully with AI are clear. This engagement ensures that patient care benefits from innovation while upholding ethical principles. Said opportunities and the urgency for healthcare psychologists are discussed.