AI Extenders and the Ethics of Mental Health

Abstract

The extended mind thesis maintains that the functional contributions of tools and artefacts can become so essential for our cognition that they can be constitutive parts of our minds. In other words, our tools can be on a par with our brains: our minds and cognitive processes can literally 'extend' into the tools. Several extended mind theorists have argued that this 'extended' view of the mind offers unique insights into how we understand, assess, and treat certain cognitive conditions. In this chapter we suggest that using AI extenders, i.e., tightly coupled cognitive extenders that are imbued with machine learning and other 'artificially intelligent' tools, presents both new ethical challenges and opportunities for mental health. We focus on several mental health conditions that can develop differently by the use of AI extenders for people with cognitive disorders and then discuss some of the related opportunities and challenges.

Artificial Intelligence and Human Enhancement: Can AI Technologies Make Us More (Artificially) Intelligent?

“…What is noteworthy about Vold's discussion, however, is that she makes a distinction between AI technologies that operate in a highly autonomous way (e.g., a fully automated self-driving car) and AI technologies that function more as support systems requiring extensive human input and engagement. 32 Importantly, Vold argues that the more independent some AI technology is in the way it operates, the less it makes sense to see it as an extension of a human mind. However, Vold argues, if an AI technology is operating in a less autonomous way-and human input and engagement are needed-then it does make sense to see it is as an extension of our minds and capacities.…”