Beyond Algorithms: Is responsible AI enough when it comes to mental health?

As AI becomes more integrated into healthcare, we need to ask: Are we really thinking about its full impact on mental health? A recent article in JMIR points out that while we’re focused on building responsible AI that emphasizes transparency, fairness, and accountability, we might be missing a key piece when it comes to mental health, the emotional and relational side of care.

Why isn’t responsible AI enough? While responsible AI works to protect privacy, prevent discrimination, and ensure transparency, mental health is about more than just following rules. It’s deeply tied to emotions, relationships, and trust. AI systems, as they are now, don’t always focus on these human aspects, like building trust or offering real emotional support. For mental health, AI needs to do more than just protect rights; it needs to understand and respond to the emotional and social needs of its users.

This is where the ethics of care comes in. This approach goes beyond rules and regulations, focusing on empathy and human connection. It also takes into account users’ cultural and social backgrounds. Mental health AI needs to adapt to the diverse needs of individuals, understanding that emotional expressions and experiences can vary across cultures.

So, what can we do differently? Developers should start thinking more like therapists when developing AI for mental health, considering users’ emotional needs as much as their privacy. And, of course, we need stronger privacy protections. Once we get this balance right, AI could become a powerful partner in mental health care, not by replacing human interaction, but by enhancing it.

For those interested in reading the original paper: Full article in JMIR