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Committee considers H.816 to bar AI from making independent therapeutic decisions
Summary
Sponsor and counsel described H.816, which would prohibit AI systems from independently diagnosing or making therapeutic decisions, allow administrative AI uses with professional oversight, require consent for recorded therapeutic communications and subject violations to consumer-protection enforcement.
On April 1 the Senate Health & Welfare Committee reviewed H.816, a bill intended to set boundaries for use of artificial intelligence in mental-health care so that clinical judgment remains the responsibility of licensed professionals.
"The purpose of this act [is] to safeguard individuals seeking mental health services in Vermont by ensuring that therapeutic judgment, clinical decision making, and therapeutic communication remain the responsibility of medical professionals and are not delegated to artificial intelligence systems," legislative counsel Jen Harvey said while walking the committee through the bill's purpose section.
Sponsor Wendy Critchlow told the committee H.816 prohibits representing AI as providing therapeutic judgment, diagnosis or treatment and instead allows AI for administrative,…
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