As suicide rates spike, new AI platform could ‘fill the gap’ in mental health care, say Boston researchers
Excerpt from FOX News Digital Interview on April 25, 2023
Dr. Cameron Caswell, an adolescent psychologist in Washington, DC, has seen firsthand the struggle providers face in keeping up with the growing need for mental health care.
"I’ve talked to people who have been wait-listed for months, can’t find anyone that accepts their insurance or aren’t able to connect with a professional that meets their specific needs," she told Fox News Digital.
"They want help but can’t seem to get it. This only adds to their feelings of hopelessness and despair."
Even so, Dr. Caswell is skeptical that AI is the answer.
"Programs like ChatGPT are phenomenal at providing information, research, strategies and tools, which can be useful in a pinch," she said.
"However, technology doesn’t provide what people need the most: empathy and human connection."
"While AI can provide positive reminders and prompt calming techniques, I worry that if it’s used to self-diagnose, it will lead to misdiagnosing, mislabeling and mistreating behaviors," she continued.
"This is likely to exacerbate problems, not remediate them."
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