The human mind is a complex and intricate universe, filled with ever-shifting thoughts, ineffable emotions, and deeply hidden motivations. Psychology—the discipline dedicated to exploring this inner cosmos—centers on understanding the vivid lived experiences and emotional connections unique to each individual.

Survey Shows Over Half of Psychologists Use AI at Work: Balancing Efficiency and Risk as AI Enters Psychology

Such deep understanding traditionally relies on distinctly human capacities: empathy, intuition, and therapeutic relationships built on trust—qualities that, by common understanding, cannot be genuinely grasped by artificial intelligence (AI) systems trained solely on vast datasets.

Yet, as global demand for mental health services continues to rise and technology permeates every domain, AI has inevitably entered the field of psychology.

On one hand, AI tools show great potential in boosting psychologists’ efficiency and alleviating administrative burdens. On the other, their widespread adoption has sparked serious concerns about data security, ethical bias, and clinical reliability. Against this backdrop, how AI can be responsibly and effectively integrated into a discipline so deeply rooted in human experience—and how to balance efficiency with empathy—has become a central issue shaping the future of the profession.

Benefits and Risks Go Hand in Hand

According to the American Psychological Association’s (APA) December 2025 Practitioner Survey, more than half of psychologists have used AI tools in their work over the past year—but nearly all express concern about the potential impact of this technology on their patients and society.

The annual survey included 1,742 psychologists. Of them, 56% reported using an AI tool at least once in the past 12 months—up from 29% in 2024. Twenty-nine percent said they use AI at least once a month, more than double the 11% reported in 2024. These technologies support psychologists in various ways, such as providing administrative assistance and enhancing clinical care. However, as psychologists gain deeper familiarity with AI, they also grow more aware of its risks. A striking 92% expressed concerns about AI applications in psychology. Their top worries include potential data breaches, unintended societal harms, biases in inputs and outputs, insufficient risk-mitigation testing, and inaccurate or “hallucinated” outputs.

Dr. Arthur C. Evans Jr., CEO of the APA, noted that AI can help alleviate some of the pressures psychologists face—for instance, by improving efficiency and expanding access to care. “But human oversight remains essential,” he emphasized. “Patients need assurance that they can still trust their care providers.”

To date, very few psychologists rely on AI for direct patient treatment. Among those using AI, only about 8% reported using it solely to assist with clinical diagnosis, and just 5% said they use chatbots to provide support to patients.

For psychologists who do use AI, the most common applications are almost entirely administrative: helping draft emails and other materials (52%), generating content (33%), summarizing clinical notes or articles (32%), and note-taking (22%). These tasks often consume significant time and energy—time psychologists would prefer to spend with their patients.

Younger Patients More Open to AI

One driver behind psychology’s consideration of AI is the surging global demand for mental health services, particularly among adolescents.

A recent study published in the British Journal of Psychiatry by the University of Edinburgh highlights this alarming trend. The research tracked children born in Wales between 1991 and 2005 to determine how many received specialist Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) before age 18. It found that only 5.8% of those born in 1991 accessed CAMHS before adulthood. In stark contrast, among those born in 2005, that figure surged to 20.2%—nearly a fourfold increase in less than two decades.

Professor Ian Kelleher, the study’s lead author, stated that the findings clearly demonstrate the sharp rise in demand for psychological support—especially among young people—yet research into the underlying causes remains inadequate.

The growing number of young patients also signals the limitations of traditional approaches. Experts warn that current services may be ill-equipped to meet the needs of today’s youth. “Unlike oncology or cardiology, CAMHS lacks sufficient research and evaluation,” Professor Kelleher stressed. “Clinicians want to deliver the best possible care, but we need stronger, modern evidence to guide our treatment decisions.”

This widening gap between supply and demand underscores the necessity of leveraging new technologies like AI to enhance service efficiency. From another perspective, some psychologists believe that younger users are more receptive—and even trusting—of advice offered by AI assistants.

Integrating AI into Psychology Responsibly

Faced with both the promise and perils of AI, along with escalating service demands, psychologists require clear guidelines to ensure AI is integrated safely and responsibly into their practice.

The APA’s recommendations for psychologists reflect this stance. They include: obtaining informed consent from patients by clearly explaining how AI tools will be used, along with their benefits and risks; evaluating whether AI tools contain biases that could exacerbate disparities in mental health outcomes; verifying that AI tools comply with relevant data privacy and security regulations; and understanding how the companies providing these tools collect, store, or share patient data.

AI is not a panacea—especially in fields intimately tied to human emotion and psychology, where caution is paramount. Its role should be that of a powerful auxiliary tool, operating under strict human supervision to free psychologists from burdensome paperwork and allow them to dedicate more precious time to complex clinical judgment, therapeutic alliance-building, and human-centered care.

“Psychologists enter this field because they’re passionate about improving people’s lives,” said Evans. “Yet they spend hours each day on administrative tasks and navigating insurers’ complex requirements. Ethical, secure AI can boost their efficiency, enabling them to see more patients and serve them better.”

The human mind is a complex and intricate universe, filled with ever-shifting thoughts, ineffable emotions, and deeply hidden motivations. Psychology—the discipline dedicated to exploring this inner cosmos—centers on understanding the vivid lived experiences and emotional connections unique to each individual.

Survey Shows Over Half of Psychologists Use AI at Work: Balancing Efficiency and Risk as AI Enters Psychology

Such deep understanding traditionally relies on distinctly human capacities: empathy, intuition, and therapeutic relationships built on trust—qualities that, by common understanding, cannot be genuinely grasped by artificial intelligence (AI) systems trained solely on vast datasets.

Yet, as global demand for mental health services continues to rise and technology permeates every domain, AI has inevitably entered the field of psychology.

On one hand, AI tools show great potential in boosting psychologists’ efficiency and alleviating administrative burdens. On the other, their widespread adoption has sparked serious concerns about data security, ethical bias, and clinical reliability. Against this backdrop, how AI can be responsibly and effectively integrated into a discipline so deeply rooted in human experience—and how to balance efficiency with empathy—has become a central issue shaping the future of the profession.

Benefits and Risks Go Hand in Hand

According to the American Psychological Association’s (APA) December 2025 Practitioner Survey, more than half of psychologists have used AI tools in their work over the past year—but nearly all express concern about the potential impact of this technology on their patients and society.

The annual survey included 1,742 psychologists. Of them, 56% reported using an AI tool at least once in the past 12 months—up from 29% in 2024. Twenty-nine percent said they use AI at least once a month, more than double the 11% reported in 2024. These technologies support psychologists in various ways, such as providing administrative assistance and enhancing clinical care. However, as psychologists gain deeper familiarity with AI, they also grow more aware of its risks. A striking 92% expressed concerns about AI applications in psychology. Their top worries include potential data breaches, unintended societal harms, biases in inputs and outputs, insufficient risk-mitigation testing, and inaccurate or “hallucinated” outputs.

Dr. Arthur C. Evans Jr., CEO of the APA, noted that AI can help alleviate some of the pressures psychologists face—for instance, by improving efficiency and expanding access to care. “But human oversight remains essential,” he emphasized. “Patients need assurance that they can still trust their care providers.”

To date, very few psychologists rely on AI for direct patient treatment. Among those using AI, only about 8% reported using it solely to assist with clinical diagnosis, and just 5% said they use chatbots to provide support to patients.

For psychologists who do use AI, the most common applications are almost entirely administrative: helping draft emails and other materials (52%), generating content (33%), summarizing clinical notes or articles (32%), and note-taking (22%). These tasks often consume significant time and energy—time psychologists would prefer to spend with their patients.

Younger Patients More Open to AI

One driver behind psychology’s consideration of AI is the surging global demand for mental health services, particularly among adolescents.

A recent study published in the British Journal of Psychiatry by the University of Edinburgh highlights this alarming trend. The research tracked children born in Wales between 1991 and 2005 to determine how many received specialist Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) before age 18. It found that only 5.8% of those born in 1991 accessed CAMHS before adulthood. In stark contrast, among those born in 2005, that figure surged to 20.2%—nearly a fourfold increase in less than two decades.

Professor Ian Kelleher, the study’s lead author, stated that the findings clearly demonstrate the sharp rise in demand for psychological support—especially among young people—yet research into the underlying causes remains inadequate.

The growing number of young patients also signals the limitations of traditional approaches. Experts warn that current services may be ill-equipped to meet the needs of today’s youth. “Unlike oncology or cardiology, CAMHS lacks sufficient research and evaluation,” Professor Kelleher stressed. “Clinicians want to deliver the best possible care, but we need stronger, modern evidence to guide our treatment decisions.”

This widening gap between supply and demand underscores the necessity of leveraging new technologies like AI to enhance service efficiency. From another perspective, some psychologists believe that younger users are more receptive—and even trusting—of advice offered by AI assistants.

Integrating AI into Psychology Responsibly

Faced with both the promise and perils of AI, along with escalating service demands, psychologists require clear guidelines to ensure AI is integrated safely and responsibly into their practice.

The APA’s recommendations for psychologists reflect this stance. They include: obtaining informed consent from patients by clearly explaining how AI tools will be used, along with their benefits and risks; evaluating whether AI tools contain biases that could exacerbate disparities in mental health outcomes; verifying that AI tools comply with relevant data privacy and security regulations; and understanding how the companies providing these tools collect, store, or share patient data.

AI is not a panacea—especially in fields intimately tied to human emotion and psychology, where caution is paramount. Its role should be that of a powerful auxiliary tool, operating under strict human supervision to free psychologists from burdensome paperwork and allow them to dedicate more precious time to complex clinical judgment, therapeutic alliance-building, and human-centered care.

“Psychologists enter this field because they’re passionate about improving people’s lives,” said Evans. “Yet they spend hours each day on administrative tasks and navigating insurers’ complex requirements. Ethical, secure AI can boost their efficiency, enabling them to see more patients and serve them better.”