Related papers: VERA-MH Concept Paper
This paper introduces v0.5 of the AI Safety Benchmark, which has been created by the MLCommons AI Safety Working Group. The AI Safety Benchmark has been designed to assess the safety risks of AI systems that use chat-tuned language models.…
In this paper we discuss approaches to evaluating and validating the ethical claims of a Conversational AI system. We outline considerations around both a top-down regulatory approach and bottom-up processes. We describe the ethical basis…
Static tools like the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) effectively screen depression but lack interactivity and adaptability. We developed HopeBot, a chatbot powered by a large language model (LLM) that administers the PHQ-9 using…
Conversational AI has significant potential in the healthcare sector, but many existing systems fall short in emotional intelligence, fairness, and politeness, which are essential for building patient trust. This gap reduces the…
AI conversational agents have demonstrated efficacy in social contact interventions for stigma reduction at a low cost. However, the underlying mechanisms of how interaction designs contribute to these effects remain unclear. This study…
People experiencing mental health crises frequently turn to open-ended generative AI (GenAI) chatbots for support. However, rather than providing immediate assistance, some GenAI chatbots are designed to respond to crisis situations in ways…
Campus well-being underpins academic success, yet many universities lack effective methods for monitoring satisfaction and detecting mental health risks. This dissertation addresses these gaps through prevention (improving feedback…
The lack of time-efficient and reliable evaluation methods hamper the development of conversational dialogue systems (chatbots). Evaluations requiring humans to converse with chatbots are time and cost-intensive, put high cognitive demands…
Chatbots have become integral to various application domains, including those with safety-critical considerations. As a result, there is a pressing need for methods that ensure chatbots consistently adhere to expected, safe behaviours. In…
The launch of ChatGPT in November 2022 marked the beginning of a new era in AI, the availability of generative AI tools for everyone to use. ChatGPT and other similar chatbots boast a wide range of capabilities from answering student…
Chai empowers users to create and interact with customized chatbots, offering unique and engaging experiences. Despite the exciting prospects, the work recognizes the inherent challenges of a commitment to modern safety standards.…
Large language models (LLMs) are already being piloted for clinical use in hospital systems like NYU Langone, Dana-Farber and the NHS. A proposed deployment use case is psychotherapy, where a LLM-powered chatbot can treat a patient…
After the pandemic, artificial intelligence (AI) powered support for mental health care has become increasingly important. The breadth and complexity of significant challenges required to provide adequate care involve: (a) Personalized…
As AI systems become increasingly integrated into daily life, their potential to exacerbate or trigger severe psychological harms remains poorly understood and inadequately tested. This paper presents a proactive methodology for…
It may be difficult for some individuals to open up and share their thoughts and feelings in front of a mental health expert. For those who are more at ease with a virtual agent, conversational agents can serve as an intermediate step in…
The Generative AI Ethics Playbook provides guidance for identifying and mitigating risks of machine learning systems across various domains, including natural language processing, computer vision, and generative AI. This playbook aims to…
Large language models (LLMs) are increasingly used for mental health support, yet they can produce responses that are overly directive, inconsistent, or clinically misaligned, particularly in sensitive or high-risk contexts. Existing…
Generative Artificial Intelligence is set to revolutionize healthcare delivery by transforming traditional patient care into a more personalized, efficient, and proactive process. Chatbots, serving as interactive conversational models, will…
Recent advances in large language models (LLMs) have led to the development of powerful AI chatbots capable of engaging in natural and human-like conversations. However, these chatbots can be potentially harmful, exhibiting manipulative,…
The Shout Crisis Text Line provides individuals undergoing mental health crises an opportunity to have an anonymous text message conversation with a trained Crisis Volunteer (CV). This project partners with Shout and its parent…