AI and Mental Health Care through a Psychoanalytic Lens

In this episode of Psychoanalysis and You, host Dr. Gail Saltz talks with Dr. Amy Levy, clinical psychologist, psychoanalyst, and co-chair of APsA’s Commission on Artificial Intelligence, about how AI is reshaping mental health, relationships, and self-understanding. Dr. Levy approaches AI as a “new other” in our psychological lives, exploring why it is so compelling and what unconscious needs it may be responding to. Drawing on psychoanalytic theory, she examines the appeal of AI relationships, the risks of emotional dependency and belief amplification, and the limits of AI in providing meaningful mental health care. The conversation also addresses whether AI could replace therapists, how psychoanalysts can engage in public discussions about emerging technology, and what parents should consider as children grow up immersed in AI-driven environments. Together, Drs. Saltz and Levy emphasize curiosity, reflection, and the enduring importance of human connection in an increasingly digital world.