Providing self-led mental health support through an AI powered Chat bot (Leora) to meet the demand of mental health care (Preprint)

UNSTRUCTURED Digital mental health services are becoming increasingly valuable for addressing the global public health burden of mental ill-health. There is significant demand for scalable and effective online mental health services. Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to improve mental health through the deployment of chatbots. These chatbots can provide round-the-clock support and triage individuals who are reluctant to access traditional healthcare due to stigma. Leora is a conversational agent that uses AI to engage in conversations with users about their mental health and provide support for minimal-to-mild symptoms of anxiety and depression. The tool is designed to be accessible, personalised, and discreet, offering strategies for promoting wellbeing and acting as a virtual self-care coach. Across all AI-powered mental health services there are several challenges in the ethical development and deployment of AI in mental health treatment, including trust and transparency, bias and health inequity, and the potential for negative consequences. To ensure the effective and ethical use of AI in mental health care, researchers must carefully consider these challenges and engage with key stakeholders to provide high-quality mental health support.