Who is in the room?
AI chatbots and licensed therapists can both provide a supportive conversation — but they are not equivalent. Walk through 8 dimensions of comparison to understand exactly what differs, and where those differences matter most.
This tool is not a recommendation for or against any specific platform. It is a framework for informed decision-making.
Who is in the room?
Training & credentials
AI Chatbot
None / Not applicableNone
AI chatbots complete no supervised clinical training, internship, residency, or licensure process. Character.AI, Replika, and Pi were not built by mental health clinicians.
Licensed Therapist
Strong3,000–4,000 supervised hours minimum
Licensed therapists complete a master's or doctoral degree plus 3,000–4,000 hours of supervised clinical experience before practicing independently. Requirements vary by license type (LCSW, LPC, LMFT, PhD, PsyD).
The access reality: Therapy costs $100–$200/session out of pocket. The national mental health workforce shortage means waits of 6–12 weeks in many areas. This comparison is not an argument to avoid AI tools — it is a map of what those tools cannot do, so users can seek human support when those limits matter.
Using this tool in a classroom or workshop?
Download the educator facilitation guide for discussion prompts, trauma-informed protocols, and handling disclosures.