As reported by Digital Health, new independent commission is being launched to examine the growing use of artificial intelligence in mental health, amid concerns that some tools are being used in place of professional therapy and crisis care
The AI and Mental Health Commission will run for a year and will assess how risks can be managed where AI systems are acting as substitutes for clinical guidance, counselling or emergency support. The group aims to identify safeguards to prevent harm and ensure vulnerable people are protected.
The commission will bring together people with lived experience of mental health difficulties alongside clinicians, technology experts, ethicists and policymakers. Its goal is to develop practical recommendations on how AI should – and should not – be used in mental health contexts.
Organisers say the body will operate independently of regulatory structures and commercial interests, providing a longer-term forum for scrutiny and debate. It plans to publish regular reports setting out findings and recommendations.
The move comes after the launch of ChatGPT Health in the United States, which allows users to upload medical records to receive health-related advice. While the tool is not currently available in the UK, the mental health charity Mind says it is increasingly supporting people who have sought help after receiving misleading, inappropriate or potentially harmful responses from AI systems.
The charity has also raised concerns that some users are developing emotionally dependent or quasi-therapeutic relationships with AI tools that are not clinically regulated or designed to provide mental health treatment.
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