Gavazzi, J. (2026).
www.ethicalpsychology.com
Clinical Impact Statement:
This article offers psychologists a framework, grounded in Pope Leo XIV's recent encyclical and psychotherapy research, for the responsible clinical use of artificial intelligence. It presents three criteria for evaluating any AI application: its effect on the therapeutic alliance, its preservation of clinician accountability, and its respect for the patient's narrative integrity. The article addresses risks including automation bias, deskilling, culturally biased outputs, and privacy threats, while identifying appropriate uses in documentation, training, and supervision. Clinicians are encouraged to engage AI critically and with cultural humility, ensuring technology augments rather than replaces clinical judgment and relational attunement.
