How AI is helping to predict and prevent suicides

Suicide is a growing public health concern. In Canada, 4,000 lives are claimed by suicide each year – that is 10 lives per day. For every one of these suicide deaths, there are five people hospitalized following self-injury, 25 to 30 suicide attempts and seven to 10 people affected by each tragedy, according to analysis by the Public Health Agency of Canada. Suicide rates are highest among certain groups – such as Indigenous Peoples, immigrants and refugees, prisoners and the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex (LGBTI) community – and are on the rise. The impacts of suicide are felt widely.