Dr. Michele Leno, PhD, LP
Source: Courtesy of Otter PR
Michele Leno completed her undergraduate studies at Marygrove College, attended the Michigan School of Professional Psychology, and obtained her M.A. in clinical psychology. She completed her doctoral degree at Saybrook University in California.
Michele is a licensed psychologist with several years of experience providing psychological evaluations, therapy, coaching, and consulting services to individuals and organizations. We discussed AI anxiety and what people can do to advocate for themselves, including embracing the technology.
Mackenzie Littledale: Dr. Leno, thank you for joining me. Artificial Intelligence (AI) will impact many professions. The fear is AI will eliminate professions, with one projection of 300 million jobs at risk. 1 What are some concerns that your clients bring up?
Dr. Michele Leno: There’s major anxiety, especially around job loss. There’s frustration right now, and so the anxiety is coming out as anger. Someone may have been doing a job for years and now the company wants to bring in AI to replace the worker. Some people are hoping that AI fails because you don’t want a robot to appear smarter than you. This has been talked about for some time, but now it’s everywhere. Even people who aren’t in mental health notice some worry, anxiety, and depression around it. At first, it was supposed to help us and AI was great, but now it’s hitting home, and people feel their skillset is being robbed.
Is AI good or bad?
ML: AI is helpful in preventing car accidents and property damage, but the fear is it will make us totally dispensable.
Dr. Leno: Yes, that’s the part we don’t like. Without realizing it, we were demonstrating love for AI, like our smartphones. It was fun and a benefit. Things are changing now. It’s becoming a little too convenient.
ML: The uncertainty is enormous. How can people face it?
Dr. Leno: There are a lot of uncertainties. This is just me projecting since I’m no engineer. I don’t think AI will be the end-all-be-all. There’s something about connecting with actual people. There are going to be hiccups. A way to face it is acceptance. Arm yourself with skills that can’t easily be replaced or done by AI. If you’re not ready to retire and you’ve been in a profession for 15 years or more, this is the time to improve or learn a new skill. Make yourself as indispensable as possible.
Consider what humans excel at
ML: What makes us indispensable in the face of AI being able to research or calculate in seconds? What can humans do where slowness, patience, soul, warmth, and softer skills are valuable?
Dr. Leno: People are saying AI can do anything, but automated customer service can be frustrating. Eventually, we need to talk to a human being. It’ll take a long time for AI to really be able to replace us. With skill-building, we start to feel more competent and less worried.
ML: From reservations about microwave ovens in the late 1970s to the internet in the mid-1990s, to self-parking cars, and now ChatGPT. AI has secular disruption implications. Are we fretting over the newness, the speed of it, the ethics of it, or the scope of it?
Dr. Leno: All of that. Even if you love change, most of us feel uneasy with the unknown. When no one can give us guarantees on how something is going to affect us, we become more anxious and lose sleep. It feels like it’s happening very fast, although we’ve been getting a taste of AI for a long time. Writers and editors [feel the threat]. AI can write a full paper, a novel, or a song.
ML: It’s improved a little too quickly.
Dr. Leno: I feel like that can zap our motivation. I’d rather talk to a human editor. Dealing with an app would feel exhausting after so long. I like the engagement from people.
ML: To your point about fearing the unknown and welcoming change, I welcome change that I initiate, but not change that’s foisted upon me.
Dr. Leno: I feel the same way, and a lot of people are like that. If it’s something you look forward to and embrace, that’s one thing, but something pushed on you is resisted. Then anger comes in.
ML: I think it comes down to trust also. A lot of people don’t trust huge corporations, and big corporations are behind the development of ChatGPT, even though it was open-sourced. There’s no way to regulate this.
Dr. Leno: I hope we’re overreacting to it. I’ve heard a couple of people say that it will make us more efficient. If that’s the case, then great.
Reimagine what AI can do for your daily life
ML: A smartphone, like you said, has AI inside. There’s AI in my car. It’s in our lives, and the fact that it tries to help me spell things correctly is a good integration. It keeps me on point. What are some effective tips for people to reimagine what AI can do for them in their day-to-day lives or is already doing?
Dr. Leno: They think this venture is brand new, but it’s not. It’s just on a bigger scale. Learn about it. Think about how it’s already incorporated into your day-to-day life. At some point, we have to embrace it. Find a way to learn more about it and identify with it to soften your emotions about it. As long as it remains foreign to us, it feels like an enemy. Once we think of its benefits, we can identify with it more. To decrease your stress level around it, you need a growth mindset. Improve your mental health, you improve your life. Stressing about something will only lead to anxiety, and that’s not effective or adding to your well-being. Find out how to get on board with it and use it in your life while remaining indispensable.
ML: How do you advise your clients to advocate for themselves and stay centered?
Dr. Leno: Advocate for yourself by putting yourself in a position where you’re seen as needed. Corporations want something to improve their bottom line. Have something solid about what you have to offer. An emotional response is not usually going to be effective. Do your homework and present some benefits to AI as well as downsides.
ML: Where can readers find out more about your services and mental health advocacy?
Dr. Leno: I am on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram as Dr. Michele Leno. I also have a Facebook page for Mind Matters with Dr. Michele.