Article Excerpt: “A primary driver for individuals, including gay and bi men, seeking AI-based care is the significant gap in access to traditional services. This stems from a shortage of therapists, high costs, and long wait times,” Dr. Nicholas Jacobson, associate professor of biomedical data science and psychiatry at Dartmouth’s School of Medicine and director of the AI and Mental Health: Innovation in Technology-Guided Healthcare Lab, told me.
“For LGBTQ+ individuals, there is the added difficulty of finding a therapist who is not just available but culturally competent,” he added. “The anonymity and 24/7 availability of an AI can reduce the stigma and fear of judgment that can be a barrier to seeking help, especially when discussing sensitive topics.”…
Jacobson draws a line between the chatbots most people know about and Therabot, the tool he’s building. “The performance of AI in mental health really depends on a key distinction between general-purpose AI models and specialized, clinically designed systems,” he said.
Full Article: https://tinyurl.com/3umz57rp
Article Source: Out Magazine