AI anxiety increasingly affecting mental health consultations

Therapists, particularly in Silicon Valley, are reporting an increase in clients expressing anxiety related to the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence. Clients, often high-performing tech employees, are raising concerns ranging from practical workplace disruptions to broader existential threats regarding the future of humanity.

Sociologist Sherry Turkle of MIT has noted a sense of powerlessness and loss of autonomy among individuals, drawing a parallel between AI-related anxiety and climate change depression. This sentiment is supported by a Pew Research Center study, which found that many Americans are skeptical of AI, predicting more negative impacts on themselves and society than positive ones, with two-thirds believing the technology is advancing too quickly.