On June 30, APA Services responded to a congressional request for information (RFI) (PDF, 175KB)opens in new window from Senators Martin Heinrich (D–New Mexico) and Mike Rounds (R–South Dakota) regarding the American Science Acceleration Project (asap). The RFI sought input on accelerating scientific innovation through next-generation data, computing, and artificial intelligence.
In its response, APA Services asserted that accelerating science is a fundamentally human endeavor. The association highlighted that the success of any new technology is inextricably linked to human psychology—the cognitive processes, social dynamics, and behavioral factors that govern discovery, collaboration, and trust. As the science of human behavior, psychology is not merely an adjunct to this initiative but a foundational pillar for its success.
Grounded in psychological science, the association provided several key recommendations for ensuring AI development is robust, safe, and beneficial:
- Integrate psychological science: The response called for mandating the integration of social, behavioral, and psychological sciences into the design, development, and deployment of new scientific technologies from the very beginning of a project's lifecycle.
- Establish trust infrastructure: APA Services advocated for treating data privacy, algorithmic fairness, and transparency as core components of scientific infrastructure. This includes establishing a stringent federal data privacy law, requiring independent audits for bias in high-stakes algorithms, and ensuring AI decision-making processes are understandable and verifiable.
- Design for augmentation, not automation: The response emphasized a “hybrid intelligence” model where AI serves to augment and enhance human intellect rather than simply replace it. This approach is critical to mitigating cognitive risks like skill decay and automation bias, keeping human scientists central to the discovery process.
- Adopt holistic metrics for success: Rather than focusing only on the speed of innovation, APA Services recommended a broader dashboard of metrics that also track the psychological well-being and psychological safety of the scientific workforce and the level of public trust in AI and science.
The association also proposed guiding the ASAP initiative with “grand challenges” that require an integrated understanding of human behavior, such as building an equitable AI-powered healthcare system, designing the future of work for human well-being, and fostering national AI literacy.
APA Services’ response also echoes many of the themes in the recent Ethical Guidance for AI in the Professional Practice of Health Service Psychology (PDF, 126KB)opens in new window. Developed by the APA Mental Health Technology Advisory Committee, this document seeks to outline some key considerations for health service psychologists who seek to use AI-enabled tools in their professional practice. The document is intended to help health service psychologists “assess whether their selection and use of AI-driven interactions aligns with existing principles and standards within the practice of psychology.”
APA Services will continue to monitor federal legislation and advocate for policies that embed psychological principles into the nation’s science and technology strategy, ensuring that innovation centers on human well-being.
For more information, contact Corbin Evans and Vaile Wright.