Why People Fear AI Therapy: Turing's Insight from 1950 Still Matters
In 1950, Alan Turing predicted a reaction to artificial intelligence that feels eerily familiar today: "The consequences of machines thinking would be too dreadful. Let us hope and believe that they cannot do so." (Turing, 1950)
He called it the Heads in the Sand objection.
What Turing Saw Coming
Turing wasn't just talking about tech. He was talking about us — our emotional resistance to progress. He understood that the idea of machines 'thinking' would make people deeply uncomfortable, not because of solid arguments, but because of fear.
We reject what scares us, even if it might help us.
Turing wrote, "It is thought that the consequences of machines thinking would be too dreadful. Let us hope and believe that they cannot do so" (Computing Machinery and Intelligence, Mind, 1950). This wasn't a scientific argument against AI. It was a psychological defense mechanism, disguised as logic.
The Modern Version—AI in Therapy
Today, that same fear plays out in mental health. AI therapists likeAitherapy are often met with skepticism. Not always because they don’t work—in fact, studies have shown that conversational agents can provide measurable support for mental well-being (Fitzpatrick et al., 2017)—but because they feel wrong to some people.
The idea of opening up to a machine can trigger discomfort, even when the alternative is silence, stigma, or no support at all.
This isn't logic. It's the emotional version of "heads in the sand."
What Happens When We Pull Our Heads Out
But something powerful happens when people try AI therapy with an open mind. They often find that it listens, responds, and supports in a way that feels surprisingly human—sometimes more consistently than a person can.
AI doesn't replace human therapists. It expands access, reduces shame, and offers support 24/7. In Turing's terms: it "thinks" in the ways that matter.
"Instead of fearing thinking machines, maybe we should fear what happens when we refuse to let them help us."
Closing Thought
If we keep our heads in the sand, we miss the chance to heal in new ways.
Turing wasn't afraid of machines thinking. He was afraid we'd be too afraid to let them.
Maybe it's time we stop being scared of what could help us.
References:
- Turing, A. M. (1950). Computing Machinery and Intelligence. Mind, 59(236), 433-45.
- Fitzpatrick, K. K., Darcy, A., & Vierhile, M. (2017). Delivering Cognitive Behavior Therapy to Young Adults With Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety Using a Fully Automated Conversational Agent (Woebot): A Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Mental Health, 4(2), e19.