More than 2,400 Kaiser Permanente mental health providers in Northern California have just concluded a 24-hour strike. One of their central concerns resonates with anyone working in an industry being disrupted by AI: the fear that artificial intelligence could replace their jobs. Kaiser has reassured that AI is not taking away jobs from therapists. The company told NPR it does not use AI to make medical or care decisions. But workers say the changes they are already seeing tell a different story. Licensed clinical social workers are being pulled from triage and replaced by unlicensed staff following scripts or apps handling patient assessments online. Therapists see this as a stepping stone toward AI-driven care. Not yet, according to psychologist Vaile Wright, senior director of health care innovation at the American Psychological Association. In an interview with NPR, she says no AI solution currently exists that can replace human-driven therapy or mental health care.…