Artificial Intelligence in Mental Health

Over 900 million individuals worldwide suffer from a mental health disorder. Human and financial costs associated with the management of individuals with mental health disorder are substantial and constitute a growing public health challenge. Yet there are presently no objective markers used to determine which individuals have a mental health disorder and predict the progression of the disorder. Furthermore, there are presently a limited number of effective treatments for mental health disorders, as well as considerable heterogeneity in treatment response. The lack of access to mental health care is yet another challenge in developed as well as developing countries. Newly available technologies such as Artificial Intelligence offer an unprecedented opportunity for developing solutions that address the aforementioned challenges and problems. In this interdisciplinary seminar, students will learn about (i) psychopathology, (ii) state-of-the-art in diagnosis and treatments of mental health disorders, (iii) unaddressed challenges and problems related to mental health, (iv) artificial intelligence and its potential through real-world examples, (v) recent real-world applications of artificial intelligence that address the challenges and problems related to mental health, and (vi) ethical issues associated with the application of artificial intelligence to mental health. Diverse viewpoints and a deeper understanding of these topics will be offered by a mix of hands-on educational sessions and panel discussions with psychiatrists, computer scientists, lawyers, and entrepreneurs. Students will also spend guided time working in small teams to develop innovative (artificial intelligence based) solutions to challenges/problems related to mental health.