Part 2: AI in Your Speech Therapy Practice: Separating Fact from Fiction

The buzz around artificial intelligence (AI) has hit pretty much every corner of life, and speech-language pathology (SLP) is no different. For us clinicians, these new AI tools have brought a real mix of feelings – curiosity, certainly, but also a good chunk of "Wait, what?" and even some straight-up fear and, yes, let's be honest, even apprehension.

When you see headlines screaming about AI writing full reports in minutes, or professional communities discussing blanket policies on AI use, it's easy to get caught up in a swirl of misunderstandings about what this technology actually is and what it means for our future as speech-language pathologists.

This is the second of an 8-part weekly series on AI. See the bottom of this post for a full list of planned posts in this series. Each post ends with a quick 3-4 question poll that will be reported in the final post.

So, in this post, we're going to cut through all the noise and tackle some of the most common myths floating around about AI and clinical practice. Our goal is to give you a clearer picture of what AI can and can't truly do right now, helping you navigate this changing scene with solid information. I'm not trying to change your mind to one side or the other; I just want to provide information and perspectives for informed decision-making.

Myth 1: AI will replace human SLPs.

Myth Debunked - This is probably the biggest worry out there – that AI is going to make human speech-language pathologists a thing of the past. And while AI can generate text, analyze patterns, and even provide basic feedback, it's critically important to understand the fundamental difference between artificial intelligence and human clinical expertise.

Our work as SLPs, when you boil it down, often comes from our own lived experiences, deep empathy, unique ways of understanding human communication, and that urge to foster growth and connection in complex individuals.

AI, as it stands, simply doesn't possess that. It operates by identifying patterns from vast amounts of data, but it lacks genuine thoughts, emotions, or lived experiences to draw upon. That nuanced assessment, the ability to build authentic therapeutic rapport, the way we tap into individual client needs and motivations, and those truly original, adaptable therapy approaches that deeply resonate with clients and families? That's human SLP territory, and it's irreplaceable.

Myth 2: Using AI goes against HIPAA and client confidentiality.

Myth Debunked - This is a paramount concern for SLPs, and rightly so. The myth often suggests that any use of any AI tool inherently breaches client privacy regulations like HIPAA. While it’s true that using public, unsecured AI models with protected health information (PHI) would be a severe violation, the reality is far more nuanced.

Responsible and ethical AI integration within an SLP practice is entirely possible. It involves understanding and utilizing secure, HIPAA-compliant AI tools, de-identifying data before inputting it into less secure models, and always adhering to established privacy protocols. This series will delve deeper into safeguarding client data, but for now, understand that the myth of blanket incompatibility is a misrepresentation.

Myth 3: AI use is unprofessional or inherently unethical for SLPs.

Myth Debunked - Viewing AI solely as a way to "cheat" or compromise professional standards overlooks its significant potential as a powerful tool. Think of it like a massive clinical resource, an advanced documentation assistant, or a brainstorming partner – resources SLPs have utilized for ages to enhance their work.

When used in a responsible and transparent way, AI can assist with tasks like brainstorming therapy ideas, drafting session notes, creating client education materials, or summarizing research. The crucial difference lies in how you use it.

Attempting to pass off AI-written material as entirely your own original clinical work without review, or using it without understanding its limitations, would certainly be unethical. But using AI to augment your own skills, streamline certain tasks, or provide initial drafts can actually be very beneficial, allowing you more time for direct client interaction and clinical reasoning.

Myth 4: AI-generated clinical content (e.g., notes, therapy plans, materials) is undependable or inaccurate.

Myth Confirmed - Thinking AI can just instantly produce perfect, clinically sound content without any effort? That's not truly how it works. While AI can certainly assemble grammatically correct sentences for notes or even mimic certain therapy activity styles, what it often lacks is genuine clinical depth, a sense of individualized client needs, and that unique insight that makes therapy truly effective.

AI-generated text can sometimes sound generic, repeat itself, or even introduce clinical inaccuracies or inappropriate suggestions if you're not careful (a phenomenon sometimes called "hallucination"). You typically need a significant amount of human clinical review, fact-checking, personalization, and adaptation to ensure the materials are truly appropriate, accurate, and ready for use in your practice. AI is a drafting assistant, not a final clinical decision-maker.

Myth 5: AI can provide definitive diagnoses or independently determine treatment plans.

Myth Debunked - This is a critical misconception. While AI models can process vast amounts of medical and clinical data, identify patterns, and even flag potential areas of concern, they cannot perform differential diagnoses or independently create comprehensive, individualized treatment plans. AI lacks the clinical reasoning, the ability to integrate diverse assessment data from multiple modalities (beyond just text), the nuanced understanding of human behavior, and the ethical responsibility required for these core SLP functions.

AI can be a powerful support tool for clinicians – helping summarize research, analyze speech samples for patterns, or brainstorm intervention strategies – but the SLP remains solely responsible for all diagnostic conclusions, treatment planning, and ultimate clinical decisions.

Myth 6: AI-powered tools will make therapy impersonal and reduce human connection.

Myth Debunked - The fear that technology will diminish the crucial human element of therapy is understandable. However, this myth overlooks how AI can actually enhance human connection. By automating or streamlining administrative and preparatory tasks – like drafting documentation, creating repetitive drill sheets, or researching background information – AI can free up valuable time.

This freed-up time means SLPs can dedicate more energy to direct client interaction, building rapport, engaging in personalized therapy activities, and providing the deeply empathetic support that defines our profession. AI becomes a tool to optimize our time, allowing us to be more present and connected with our clients, not less.

Myth 7: AI can perfectly understand and replicate human speech, including nuances like accent, dialect, or prosody.

Myth Debunked - While Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) technology has made incredible strides, the myth that it is universally flawless and unbiased for all populations is not true. Current AI models can struggle with diverse accents, non-standard dialects, speech sound disorders, or subtle emotional and linguistic nuances like sarcasm, intonation, or pitch variations that are critical in human communication.

For SLPs, relying solely on flawed ASR for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes could lead to misinterpretations, inaccurate assessments, or inappropriate intervention strategies, especially when working with culturally and linguistically diverse populations. The SLP's ear and clinical expertise remain paramount for accurate phonetic, phonological, and prosodic analysis.

Myth 8: Using AI requires extensive tech expertise or coding skills.

Myth Debunked - Many SLPs may feel intimidated by AI, believing it demands a deep understanding of computer science or programming. The myth suggests that only tech-savvy individuals can leverage AI in their practice. The reality, however, is that most common generative AI tools (like those that create text or images) are designed with user-friendly interfaces that resemble simple chat programs.

You interact with them using natural language prompts, much like you would talk to a colleague. While understanding how to prompt effectively is key (a topic we'll cover later in this series!), it requires no coding skills whatsoever. This accessibility makes AI a tool that can be integrated by any SLP, regardless of their tech background.

Myth 9: AI is only beneficial for a small niche of SLP practice (e.g., articulation or language).

Myth Debunked - The misconception here is that AI's utility is narrowly confined to specific areas of communication disorders. In reality, AI's potential applications span the vast breadth of SLP practice. Beyond generating articulation drills or language activities, AI can assist in areas such as:

• Social communication: Brainstorming social scripts or narrative scenarios.
• Fluency: Organizing research or drafting educational materials on disfluencies.
• Voice: Summarizing literature on vocal hygiene or voice therapy techniques.
• Dysphagia: Assisting with literature reviews or creating patient education handouts.
• AAC: Generating ideas for symbol sets or communication board layouts.
• Professional Development: Summarizing research articles or creating CEU presentation outlines.

AI is a versatile assistant that can be adapted to enhance efficiency and creativity across virtually all domains of speech-language pathology.

Moving Forward with Clarity and Facts:

It's crucially important for us SLPs to gain a clear understanding of what AI can and can't do right now. By busting these common myths, we can begin to see AI not as something that's going to take our jobs, but as a tool that might actually prove helpful in our clinical process, allowing us to spend more time where it matters most: directly with our clients.

What are your initial reactions to the myths we've outlined? Are there other common beliefs or fears about AI in SLP practice that you've encountered or that worry you personally? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and then share your perspective in our quick poll! Results will be shared at the end of the series!

AI & SLPs Poll 2