The promise and risks of AI for mental health support

About this episode

This story includes references to suicide, self-harm and mental health crises. If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Available 24/7. A growing number of lawsuits accuse AI companies of harming users — alleging chatbots have encouraged self-harm, reinforced delusions, or failed to recognize signs of distress. And yet at the same time, a growing number of users, particularly younger ones, say they're turning to AI for emotional support. Dr. John Torous studies how technology interacts with mental health. He says in the case of AI, it's complicated. More on this: Nearly 2 out of 3 teens and tweens use AI chatbots, new research shows — from NPR An independent benchmark for AI in mental health — from MindBench.ai Development, validation and AI chatbot evaluation of the Adolescent Mental Health AI Response Tool — from Nature