Pennsylvania bill would ban use of AI for student mental healthcare

A new bill in the Pennsylvania state senate would rein in the use of artificial intelligence in situations that involve student wellbeing, to ensure technology doesn't “replace qualified experts responsible for providing mental and behavioral healthcare.”

In a memo, Sen. Nick Miller (D-Lehigh & Northampton) introduced SB 1505 in Pennsylvania, arguing that AI technology is having an "increasingly" important role in the “everyday lives outside of the classroom,” leading him to pressure the state to draw lines for how companies can engage young people.

Miller’s bill would ban the use of AI and associated apps if they involve providing mental or behavioral health services. He believes these services "should not replace qualified experts.”

“Automated systems can generate inaccurate or unsafe advice, lack professional judgment, and cannot properly recognize or respond to a student in crisis,” Miller wrote in his memo. “Pennsylvania students deserve access to qualified school counselors, psychologists, and social workers, not automated systems attempting to replicate their care.”

The state senator argues that students struggling with mental and behavioral health issues should rely on real human experts staffed at schools, not contracts with technology companies that promise to provide patient care.

“Please consider joining me in co-sponsoring this legislation to ensure that technology remains a tool for educators and mental health professionals rather than a replacement,” Miller wrote.