IM 822: The One Man Unicorn - AI In Psychiatry

In this episode of Intelligent Machines, Leo Laporte, along with Paris Martineau and Jacob Ward, discuss the use of AI in psychotherapy with guest Daniel Oberhaus, author of "The Silicon Shrink," exploring the ethical questions, potential risks, and benefits of AI therapists. The conversation covers the shortage of mental health professionals, the cost of therapy, and the potential for AI to normalize mental health treatment, while also addressing concerns about data privacy, the psychiatric surveillance economy, and the lack of regulation in the AI therapy sector. Later, the panel discusses Palantir's data-gathering activities, the potential for misuse of government data, and the challenges of tech journalism, including the adversarial relationship with tech companies.