Enhancing ethical codes with artificial intelligence governance – a growing necessity for the adoption of generative AI in counselling

The advent of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems, such as large language model chatbots, is likely to have a significant impact in psychotherapy and counselling in the future. In this paper we consider the current state of AI in psychotherapy and counselling and the likely evolution of this field. We examine the ethical codes of practice for counselling in four countries in different parts of the world, namely the UK, the USA, Australia and Malaysia, and identify aspects of these codes that will need enhancement to reflect good AI governance. Using the Model Artificial Intelligence Governance Framework as an example, we have identified how the key elements of the AI framework relate to the core elements of the ethical codes, as a pointer to how such ethical codes will need to be enhanced if generative AI systems are to be adopted by the counselling profession.