Human therapists went on strike to protest AI counsellors replacing them

More than 2,400 Kaiser Permanente mental‑health providers in Northern California held a 24‑hour strike, warning that AI‑driven tools and scripted assessments are beginning to replace licensed clinicians in early‑stage patient care. Kaiser insists AI is not making medical decisions, but workers say unlicensed staff and automated systems are already taking over triage tasks once handled by trained therapists. Experts told NPR that AI cannot replace human therapy yet, though many digital tools entering the field remain untested and poorly regulated. The strike highlights growing concerns that AI in healthcare may prioritize cost‑cutting over patient well‑being.

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