AI In Psychology Survey
Artificial Intelligence in Psychological Practice: Where Do We Stand?
Artificial intelligence is no longer peripheral to psychological work. For some practitioners, it is a quiet productivity tool helping structure reports, summarise research, or streamline administrative load. For others, it raises immediate questions about confidentiality, bias, regulatory clarity, and the integrity of the therapeutic relationship.
The reality is that AI is no longer a hypothetical future issue. It is a present professional consideration. What remains unclear now is how we are engaging with it, how we evaluate its risks, and what professional infrastructure is required to govern its integration responsibly.
To answer this responsibly, the PsySSA AI Division has launched a national survey to psychologists and practitioners in training, and we ask that you please complete it here: https://forms.gle/uwdG2qrGYhcdMbpr8
What Is Actually Happening in Practice?
Across clinical, counselling, educational, organisational and research contexts, we are seeing varied patterns of engagement:
- Some are actively integrating AI tools into selected tasks.
- Some are experimenting occasionally.
- Some are intentionally avoiding use.
- Many are observing developments while waiting for clearer guidance.
What we currently lack is empirical clarity:
- How widespread is actual use?
- In which domains is AI being applied?
- What risks are most salient in practice?What support would meaningfully assist practitioners?
Without this data, discussions remain speculative.
What the Survey Findings Will Inform
The results will directly shape:
- A formal PsySSA AID Position Statement
- Practice guidelines aligned with HPCSA ethical principles
- CPD offerings tailored to identified learning needs
- Practical toolkits for safe and bounded AI use
- Policy submissions and regulatory engagement
- Research priorities within the South African context
In short, the findings will not sit in a report archive. They will inform governance, education, and professional standards. If the profession does not articulate its realities, external narratives will fill the gap.
Ethics and Regulations
AI intersects with core professional commitments:
- Beneficence and non-maleficence
- Autonomy
- Justice
• Confidentiality - Accountability
The question is no longer “AI: yes or no?”, but “Under what conditions, safeguards, and competencies can AI be responsibly integrated into South African psychological practice?
An Invitation
If you are a registered psychologist, intern, academic, or practitioner in training, your perspective is essential.
Whether you are actively using AI, cautiously observing it, or deliberately avoiding it, your position contributes to the evidence base that will shape future guidance.
If you are willing, we invite you to complete the survey and add your perspective to the conversation. Click here to complete the survey. The direction our profession takes will be influenced by who participates in defining it.