Can A.I. Treat Mental Illness?

Plus: the threat of phosphorus; “Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence”; and how Giancarlo Esposito breaks bad. View in browser | Update your preferences Wednesday, March 1, 2023 In today’s newsletter, the age of algorithmic psychiatry, and then: • Are we fertilizing ourselves to death? • Hulu’s docuseries on the cult at Sarah Lawrence • How Giancarlo Esposito plays the villain Can A.I. Treat Mental Illness? New computer systems aim to peer inside our heads—and to help us fix what they find there. Illustration by David Vanadia A good therapist is hard to find. More than half the counties in the country don’t have a single psychiatrist, and a survey conducted by the American Psychological Association last year found that sixty per cent of mental-health practitioners don’t have openings for new patients. And, although suicide rates have been falling around the world during the past few decades, in the U.S. they’ve risen by about a third. Could an A.I. chatbot be the answer to our struggles? In this week’s issue, Dhruv Khullar dives into the world of “algorithmic psychiatry,” the history of therapeutic computer software, and the new programs that are complementing—or even replacing—in-person care, including a popular app named Woebot. “What might a system like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, which has been trained on vast swaths of the writing on the Internet, conjure?” Khullar writes. “Can artificial minds heal real ones? And what do we stand to gain, or lose, in letting them try?” Read the story Support The New Yorker’s award-winning journalism. Subscribe today » Editor’s Picks The Control of Nature Phosphorus Saved Our Way of Life—and Now Threatens to End It Fertilizers filled with the nutrient boosted our ability to feed the planet. Today, they’re creating vast and growing dead zones in our lakes and seas. By Elizabeth Kolbert Persons of Interest Giancarlo Esposito Controls the Chaos The “Mandalorian” and “Breaking Bad” villain credits his menacing poise to mindfulness and military school—and yearns to play an everyman. By Julian Lucas Cultural Comment What Can A.I. Art Teach Us About the Real Thing? The range and ease of pictorial invention offered by A.I. image generation are startling. By Adam Gopnik On Television A Rare Exploration of the Deprogramming Process The Hulu docuseries “Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence” is a remarkable work, advancing the prestige true-crime genre’s slow but steady reorientation toward centering victims. By Inkoo Kang From the News Desk Our Columnists It’s O.K. to Be Confused About This Economy Even the experts don’t really know where inflation and jobs are headed. By John Cassidy Daily Comment Jessie Diggins Wins the Gold in the Toughest Winter Sport Diggins is the first American to take an individual gold medal in Nordic skiing. By Bill McKibben National Magazine Awards The New Yorker has received nominations for the 2023 National Magazine Awards in a wide range of categories, including for reporting, criticism, video, and more. Today, we’re sharing three short stories that were finalists, which navigate parenthood, family life, and mortality. Fiction “Peking Duck” “I tell the truth in Chinese, I make up stories in English. I don’t take it that seriously.” By Ling Ma Fiction “Occupational Hazards” “Duties included: receiving instruction from Hajji Atal to head to Kabul (alone) with an allotment of cash.” By Jamil Jan Kochai Fiction “Café Loup” “I started to narrate my choking to myself, as if transforming it into a story would keep me connected to a future in which I might tell it.” By Ben Lerner Fun & Games Dept. Name Drop Play Today’s Quiz Can you guess the notable person in six clues or fewer? By Will Nediger Daily Shouts A List of People Who Have No Business Being Younger Than Me It should go without saying, but all of my present and future co-workers must be older than me. By Monica McDonough Crossword A Lightly Challenging Puzzle Flavor of some green candy: nine letters. By Aimee Lucido Daily Cartoon Wednesday, March 1st By Paul Noth P.S. It’s the first day of March, a month that carries the promise of spring. As Emily Dickinson wrote, “Dear March—Come in—” For something more recent, read Louise Glück’s poem “March”: The light stays longer in the sky, but it’s a cold light, it brings no relief from winter. My neighbor stares out the window, talking to her dog. He’s sniffing the garden, trying to reach a decision about the dead flowers. It’s a little early for all this. Everything’s still very bare— nevertheless, something’s different today from yesterday. Today’s newsletter was written by Jessie Li. Thanks for reading. Let us know your thoughts about today’s edition. 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