Chronicles
1 August 2026
Artificial Intelligence and Ethics: The Essential Questions to Ask in a Therapeutic Practice
Artificial intelligence (AI) is gradually transforming the way we work, communicate, and access information. Therapeutic practices are no exception to this evolution. Writing tools, administrative assistants, automated note-taking platforms, analysis software, and decision-support systems: the possibilities offered by AI are numerous.
For professionals working in integrative health, complementary medicine, and body-based approaches, these new tools can provide valuable support in their daily practice. They can reduce certain administrative tasks, improve organization, and help structure information more efficiently.
However, when technology enters a space as intimate as a therapeutic relationship, a fundamental question arises: how can we benefit from artificial intelligence while protecting the human element at the heart of the practice?
The issue is not simply determining what AI can do, but rather reflecting on what it should never replace.
Client Data Is Not a Raw Material
In a therapeutic practice, the information collected from a client is valuable. Consultation notes, lifestyle habits, physical discomforts, personal history, health goals, and professional observations all tell part of the human story of the person being supported.
With the arrival of AI, it may be tempting to use this information to automate certain tasks: summarizing sessions, preparing files, generating general recommendations, or organizing clinical notes.
However, one essential question must always be asked:
Where does this data go?
Before entering personal information into an artificial intelligence tool, professionals must understand:
- how the data is collected;
- where it is stored;
- who can access it;
- how long it is retained;
- whether it can be used for other purposes.
Health-related information is not simply content to be analyzed. It belongs to an individual, with their personal history, vulnerability, and right to confidentiality.
Data anonymization should never be considered optional. Removing information that could identify a person is an essential precaution when using digital tools.
Technology must remain in service of the professional and the client, never the other way around.
Consent Becomes Essential
The therapeutic relationship is built on a fundamental principle: trust.
If a professional uses AI to record a consultation, transcribe a conversation, or assist in writing a client file, the client must be informed. This transparency is not only a matter of compliance; it is also a sign of respect toward the person receiving care.
Clients should be able to understand:
- why the tool is being used;
- what information is being processed;
- how their information is protected;
- what the limitations of the technology are.
Informed consent is not simply about obtaining quick approval. It requires genuine understanding of the process.
At a time when digital tools are becoming increasingly present, maintaining a relationship of trust sometimes requires slowing down and taking more time to explain.
A client who understands how their information is used can participate more freely and confidently in their own care journey.
Can Artificial Intelligence Replace Professional Judgment?
AI can be impressive. It can analyze large amounts of information quickly, generate summaries, and help structure documents. It can become an ally by saving time and reducing repetitive tasks. However, it does not possess what often represents the core of therapeutic work: human presence.
Artificial intelligence cannot sense a person’s emotional state. It cannot notice a subtle change in posture, a hesitation in someone’s voice, or an emotion hidden behind silence. It does not possess the listening skills, practical experience, or relational sensitivity that a professional develops through years of practice.
A suggestion generated by AI is therefore not a diagnosis, a clinical assessment, or a professional truth. It remains information that must be reviewed and interpreted with discernment.
The therapist’s role remains essential: to interpret, contextualize, question, and adapt their approach to the unique reality of each individual.
AI can support reflection. It should never replace professional judgment.
Who Is Responsible in Case of an Error?
One of the major challenges of artificial intelligence is that it can produce answers that appear convincing, even when they are inaccurate or incomplete. An AI system can make mistakes. It may lack context, misinterpret information, or provide a response that does not fit a particular situation.
In a therapeutic practice, responsibility remains human.
The professional remains responsible for what they communicate to their client, the recommendations they provide, and the decisions resulting from their intervention.
The statement, “The AI suggested it,” can never replace professional analysis.
Using intelligent tools therefore requires even greater human intelligence: the intelligence of discernment, ethics, and responsibility.
Preserving the Human Relationship Above All
The most subtle risk associated with AI may not be technological, but relational. A therapeutic practice is not based solely on information processing or tasks to complete. It is based on a meeting between two human beings.
If AI gradually takes over emails, documentation, client communications, or certain recommendations, there is a risk that less time will be devoted to what gives therapeutic support its true value: presence, listening, and human connection.
Technology can free up time, but that time must then be reinvested into the therapeutic relationship.
A therapist enhanced by AI is not someone who delegates everything to a machine. It is someone who uses available tools to become even more present and available for their clients.
The Essential Question to Ask
As artificial intelligence enters therapeutic practices, the first question may not be: “What can AI do in my practice?”
But rather: “What do I absolutely not want to entrust to it?”
This reflection helps establish a clear boundary between what can be automated and what must remain deeply human.
The future of therapeutic practice will likely not be a conflict between humans and technology. It will be a search for balance: using innovation wisely while protecting what can never be replaced — trust, listening, and the quality of the therapeutic relationship.