AI mental health chatbots, inequality and the risks of self-guided care

This paper, by patient empowerment expert David Gilbert, who has sought help and advice from AI for his own mental health problems, assesses the research on how the huge growth in the use of AI mental health tools can put people at risk and increase inequality. It finds that the rapid expansion of AI mental health chatbots and self-guided AI systems has outpaced the development of robust mechanisms to protect people from harm. Oversight is uncoordinated and there are significant gaps in evidence, accountability and patient safety. Without proper regulation, information content, quality and safety are at risk.