Upended by a global pandemic, the healthcare sector is finding new ways to adapt quickly and safely. For many, technology has been the key. The technology not only gives more insight into patients' needs but also helps develop therapist techniques and training. Looking at the demand after the pandemic, Depression, Anxiety and Stress-related therapies are gaining a very high demand to be up by 10 to12% in almost a year. So what are the ways that AI uses in improving mental health and keeping a check on the same?

AI in Behavioral and mental health is an umbrella term to describe the application of machine learning (ML) algorithms and other cognitive technologies in medical settings. In the simplest sense, Artificial Intelligence is when computers and other machines mimic human cognition, and are capable of learning, thinking, and making decisions or taking actions. AI in healthcare, then, is the use of machines to analyze and act on medical data, usually to predict a particular outcome. Significant use of AI in healthcare is the use of ML and other cognitive disciplines for medical diagnosis purposes. Using patient data and other information, AI in behavioral and mental health can help doctors and medical providers deliver more accurate diagnoses and treatment plans.

While the use of AI within the mental health ecosystem offers opportunities to improve systems, it also opens up the potential for misuse and mistreatment. As a way of guarding against this risk, the World Economic Forum launched a toolkit to provide governments, regulators and independent assurance bodies with the means to develop and adopt standards and policies that address the ethical concerns relating to the use of disruptive technologies in mental health.

Ieso's senior VP for artificial intelligence, Valentin Tablan, talks about the challenges of adopting technology in mental health and how things are changing through Ieso's Eight Billion Minds program. Compared to physical medicine, mental health has traditionally been slow in its adoption of technology. There are multiple reasons for this, some psychological, some organisational, and some technological. Physical medicine has seen a lot of progress in the last century as science and technology advances have led to better understanding of diseases and patients. CAT and MRI scanners, and advanced lab tests make it easier to diagnose, treat and design personalised interventions for medical conditions.