Figure 1: Partial Transcript From an AI Psychiatrist Program

Hi, I'm Frank, your computerized Psychologist!

Talk to me in regular sentences and I will try to understand.

What is your first name?

Andrea

What's your problem, Andrea?

I feel depressed.

Do you enjoy feeling depressed?

No.

I see. Go on.

Sometimes I just want to cry.

Go on.

I don't know why.

Do you wish to be able to know why?

Yes.

I understand, Andrea.

Do you?

What does it matter whether I do or not?

I would feel better if you understood.

Why should you feel better if you knew I understood?

I would feel like someone is listening to me.

What if you did?

Maybe I wouldn't be depressed.

Why not, Andrea?

I think I just want someone to understand me and listen to me.

Do you really?

Yes.

Tell me why.

It makes me feel valued as a person.

What about being depressed?

If people listened to me, I wouldn't be so depressed.

I see.

You're nuts.

What makes you think I am nuts?

You ask stupid questions.

That's what I'm supposed to do, Andrea.