AI Systems in Text-Based Online Counselling: Ethical Considerations Across Three Implementation Approaches

Different AI roles in counselling require different ethical safeguards: The paper identifies three distinct approaches—autonomous bots, training simulators, and counsellor-support tools—each presenting unique ethical challenges, meaning a one-size-fits-all approach to responsible AI in mental health is insufficient.

Privacy concerns extend beyond data protection: While text-based counselling can help overcome geographical and stigma barriers, the paper emphasizes that privacy considerations in AI-enhanced counselling go beyond typical data security to include protecting sensitive mental health disclosures and ensuring appropriate data use.

Autonomy in mental health AI means preserving human choice and agency: The research highlights that maintaining client autonomy—ensuring people can choose human counsellors and understand when they're interacting with AI—is ethically distinct from autonomy concerns in other AI applications, reflecting mental health's unique relational nature.

Accountability structures must be clear across all three implementation approaches: The paper stresses that responsibility for AI decisions in counselling cannot be ambiguous; developers, organizations, and practitioners must have defined accountability regardless of whether AI is autonomous, educational, or supportive.

Text-based constraints may actually enable safer AI integration: Rather than viewing the absence of non-verbal cues as purely limiting, the paper suggests textual communication may reduce certain AI risks while requiring vigilance about implementation-specific hazards unique to each counselling approach.