Can AI Chatbots Ever Replace Human Therapists?

This morning, my wellness coach reminded me to savor each exciting moment in my day, but to always take time to rest and recharge. It's good advice--good enough that I would believe it came from a human, instead of an artificial intelligence algorithm anthropomorphized as a cartoon panda. Each day, I can use Earkick to describe my mood through writing, voice note, or video. Roughly 20 seconds later, its algorithm has analyzed my statement for signs of anxiety and spit out a personalized, conversational recommendation for how I can feel my best. Earkick is one of a small army of chatbots, Woebot perhaps best-known among them, that promise to use the power of AI to support mental wellness.