Chatbots could be first responder for mental health issues, but with limits

Singapore needs clear standards to ensure safe and effective use of chatbots, with a hybrid approach that includes humans who can step in when needed.

- Nur Hani Zainal

On the MRT after a long day, a commuter opens a mental health chatbot on her phone. She is not looking for a diagnosis. She wants to get through the evening without the knot in her chest taking over.

The bot checks in, offers a short breathing exercise, and suggests the next step if the tightness does not ease in an hour. It is not therapy. It is a well-timed nudge.

Scenes like this are now common. AI chatbots sit in pockets, on laptops and in workplace portals. They are fast, always on and often free. For many, they are becoming the first stop for worry, low mood or insomnia.

Some users find them helpful. Others are disappointed. A minority may be harmed, especially when the system overpromises or fails to recognise a moment when a trained human should step in. Overseas incidents underscore the stakes.

The National Eating Disorders Association in the US suspended its "Tessa" chatbot after it gave advice that could worsen eating disorders. In Belgium, a family reported that prolonged conversations with a consumer chatbot preceded a man's death by suicide.

More recently, the parents of 16-year-old Adam Raine in California filed a lawsuit alleging that the teen's prolonged interactions with ChatGPT validated his self-destructive thoughts before he took his own life. The case has renewed calls for stronger safety checks in AI systems. These cases prompted providers to review how their systems detect distress and escalate risk.

In Singapore, the Government's mindline.sg shows both the opportunity and the challenge. It is an anonymous digital mental health resource with an AI-enabled chatbot that delivers brief therapeutic exercises.

Independent analyses of usage patterns have found that its dialogue-based exercises are among the platform's most used features, suggesting that many people prefer guided, bite-sized help.