In this episode of SecureTalk, Justin Beals welcomes Daniel Oberhaus, the author of Silicon Shrink, to discuss the revolutionary and controversial integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in mental health care. Daniel demystifies the central theme of his book, explaining the concept of Silicon Shrink and exploring how AI tools are increasingly being used to diagnose and treat mental health conditions.
He highlights the alarming implications of leveraging AI in psychiatry, the historical intersection of these two fields, and the potential pitfalls and ethical challenges this marriage presents. He also delves into the technical, policy, and philosophical dimensions of using AI in psychiatry, bringing attention to various case studies and real-world applications such as emotion-recognition technology and AI-driven triage systems like those used by the Crisis Text Line.
Daniel's insights present a compelling narrative, urging a cautious yet hopeful approach to adopting AI technologies in areas as sensitive as mental health, underscoring the need for transparency, privacy, and ethical considerations.
Book:
Oberhaus, Daniel. The Silicon Shrink: How Artificial Intelligence Made the World an Asylum. MIT Press, 2025.
(Link) What is Secure Talk Podcast?
Secure Talk reviews the latest threats, tips, and trends on security, innovation, and compliance.
Host Justin Beals interviews leading privacy, security and technology executives to discuss best practices related to IT security, data protection and compliance. Based in Seattle, he previously served as the CTO of NextStep and Koru, which won the 2018 Most Impactful Startup award from Wharton People Analytics. He is the creator of the patented Training, Tracking & Placement System and the author of “Aligning curriculum and evidencing learning effectiveness using semantic mapping of learning assets,” published in the International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning (iJet). Justin earned a BA from Fort Lewis College.