This image provided by Earkick in March 2024 shows the company’s mental health chatbot on a smartphone. A growing number of AI chatbots are being pitched as a way to address the recent mental health crisis among teens and young …WASHINGTON — Download the mental health chatbot Earkick and you’re greeted by a bandana-wearing panda who could easily fit into a kids’ cartoon.
The question of whether these artificial intelligence -based chatbots are delivering a mental health service or are simply a new form of self-help is critical to the emerging digital health industry - and its survival. “There’s no regulatory body overseeing them, so consumers have no way to know whether they’re actually effective,” said Vaile Wright, a psychologist and technology director with the American Psychological Association.
The U.K.’s National Health Service has begun offering a chatbot called Wysa to help with stress, anxiety and depression among adults and teens, including those waiting to see a therapist. Some U.S. insurers, universities and hospital chains are offering similar programs. Virtua data shows patients tend to use Woebot about seven minutes per day, usually between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m.
“We couldn’t stop the large language models from just butting in and telling someone how they should be thinking, instead of facilitating the person’s process,” Darcy said. Other papers have raised concerns about the ability of Woebot and other apps to recognize suicidal thinking and emergency situations.
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