According to the WHO, one in every eight people in the world lives with a mental disorder, a clinically significant disturbance in an individual’s cognition, emotional regulation, or behaviour. Which impacts do recent advances in artificial intelligence have on mental health issues? Experts on the topic share their insights.
Author: Johanna Seiwald, ZHAW
CLAIRE, the largest European network for research and innovation in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI), recently hosted two live events. Experts from various fields discussed the intersection of AI-powered tools and mental health. What were their key insights?
“A global issue should be addressed globally”
AI can play an important role in mental health, including in low and middle-income countries where there is a lack of adequate services for mental health. Africa is beginning to see a rise in mental health cases, stated Kutoma Wakunuma, Associate Professor from De Montfort University (UK). She pointed out that AI could support mental health workers, were it not for a critical problem: AI systems often use datasets that are not representative of the realities of the African continent. This could lead to inaccuracies in diagnosis and exacerbate the divide between countries. Therefore, Dr. Wakunuma emphasized the importance of inclusive, sustainable and representative data. By taking a broader perspective, we can establish proper AI governance and understand the full potential of AI to improve mental healthcare. With more inclusive and representative data, AI has the potential to revolutionize mental healthcare by improving access to care and personalized treatments.