The researchers at Harvard Medical School have developed an Artificial Intelligence (AI) that can help improve mental health. 

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CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS - JULY 08: A view of Harvard Yard on the campus of Harvard University on July 08, 2020 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. 

In collaboration with Deep Longevity, the authors of the study created two digital models of human psychology, according to Sci Tech Daily.

The first model consists of deep neural networks that can produce the chronological age and psychological well-being of respondents in ten years with the information gathered from a psychological survey. It depicts the trajectories of the human mind as it ages. 

The model also demonstrates the capacity of individuals to create meaningful connections and mental autonomy, and environmental mastery that develops with age. It also puts emphasis on personal progress declining, but the purpose in life fades after 40 to 50 years. Therefore, all the results add to the growing body of knowledge on socioemotional selectivity and hedonic adaptation in the context of adult personality development. 

The second model is a self-organizing map that is created to be the foundation for an engine that will accommodate mental health applications. It splits all respondents into clusters based on their likelihood of developing depression, which will determine the quickest way toward a cluster of mental stability for any individual. 

Also Read: Mental Health - An Important Conversation in the Tech Industry

FuturSelf

FuturSelf is a free online application that can help demonstrate the potential of this new system. It contains a psychological test, and at the end of the assessment, users will receive a report with insights aimed at improving long-term mental well-being. Therefore, they can use these insights and apply them in a guidance program that will provide them with a consistent and solid flow of AI-chosen recommendations. It will also further develop the digital approach to mental health via the app. 

AI in Mental Health

AI systems are revolutionizing nearly every aspect of our lives. The researchers are still trying to collect more data on any possible impact of the new system, and upcoming results will help improve the digital models.

The new system can be used on millions of people, and AI has already proven to be more accurate in predicting human behavior compared to humans. Added to that, the new system is non-judgmental and does not characterize the data with labels, which is another advantage for AI to be a more reliable predictor.

The research team aims to further expand the applications of such a system to improve mental health and promote mental well-being. 

The future of AI in mental health may be very promising, and further research will be helpful in identifying the best ways to use AI in mental health. Although this is a great breakthrough and AI in the near future will be more capable of helping humans in a variety of challenging situations, it must be noted that they are not capable of replacing human therapists.

Related Article: Big Tech And Declining Mental Health: Should They Be Held Liable?

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Written by April Fowell