December 31, 2025

As AI chatbots and “mental-health” apps are everywhere you look. They’re built into meditation apps, offered by startups as “affordable therapy substitutes”, and even embedded into employee-assistance programs. The speed, scale, and conversational style of modern generative models make them feel surprisingly human, so it’s no wonder people reach for them when they’re stressed, anxious, or lonely. But the question many of us are asking is simple and urgent: can AI replace a human psychotherapist? Short answer is: no. Longer answer: it depends on the function.