TMTPOST -- “Artificial intelligence (AI) and mental health are fields in which both Tianqiao (Chen) and I place high hopes and we hope to make breakthroughs as soon as possible to benefit humanity,” said Chrissy Luo, the co-founder of Tianqiao and Chrissy Chen Institute (TCCI) at a seminar on Friday in Shanghai.

“We look forward to attracting talents, especially AI professionals, to join us in leveraging AI technology to help the Chinese people become free from anxiety and depression, and happier,” she added.

From Thursday to Friday, TCCI, the Science journal, and the Shanghai Mental Health Center (National Center for Mental Health) co-hosted the "Artificial Intelligence and Mental Health" seminar at the Xujiahui campus of a mental health hospital in Shanghai. Nearly 400 scientists, clinicians, and industry professionals attended the event to discuss the application and future development of AI in the field of mental health.

Three AI experts swept the 2024 Nobel Prizes in Physics and Chemistry, marking the first time the Nobel Prize recognized computer science. They were honored for their groundbreaking discoveries and inventions in machine learning based on artificial neural networks, which have paved the way for "AI for Science." The integration of AI in mental health is becoming a new development trend.

The Science journal has always been at the forefront of emerging sciences. Continued efforts will be made to collaborate with TCCI and work closely with global scientists and researchers to unleash the immense potential of AI in the treatment and management of mental health, said Bill Moran, the publisher of the Science journal. 

The global mental health crisis is becoming more severe, and the combination of AI and mental health treatment is an effective solution to this issue, noted Zhao Min, professor and Director of the Shanghai Mental Health Center and the National Center for Mental Disorders.

"We look forward to deepening exchanges with global scientists to push forward developments in this field," Zhao added.

Li Yan, Executive Director of the Scientific Program at TCCI, introduced the institute’s efforts in advancing AI-powered brain science, including launching the Chen Institute & Science Prize for AI Accelerated Research in collaboration with the Science journal, co-hosting AI interdisciplinary summer schools with world-renowned universities, and sponsoring nearly 50 high-level international conferences on AI + brain science this year.

Meanwhile, the seminar held a closed-door discussion for young scientists, where over 10 early-career researchers engaged in in-depth exchanges with international peers and experts.

Looking ahead, the integration of AI and mental health is expected to deepen and achieve breakthroughs in five key areas, including AI-assisted diagnosis and treatment of mental health disorders will improve in accuracy and accessibility; personalized treatment plans will become more intelligent; AI development will deepen our understanding of the mechanisms of mental health disorders, providing a theoretical foundation for new treatment methods; AI technology will enable the long-term tracking of brain health trajectories, so as to achieve better prevention and management of mental health issues; research on AI in mental health treatment will require special attention to ethical governance.