Teens are turning to AI while human care remains scarce

What parents should know about teens’ reliance on AI for mental health support

CapRadio

What happened: Amid an adolescent mental health crisis and care shortages, about one in five teens use AI chatbots for emotional support, according to EdSource. Experts and schools are exploring how to use the technology responsibly.

Key points:

• Teens acknowledge that while AI can be affirming, it may not provide suitable advice or fully process emotions.
• Companies like Alongside are developing school chatbots with safeguards, while California has enacted a law requiring youth protections.

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Opinion | AI in dementia care could give doctors time to listen

KevinMD

What the author argues: Emory University cognitive neurologist Drew Breithaupt argues that AI interviews before dementia appointments could give doctors more time for something patients value: being heard.

Drawing on a pilot study, he describes using a voice-based agent to gather a patient’s history so the clinician can focus on listening and care.

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Opinion | Half of mental health apps vanish within 3 years

KevinMD

What the author argues: Mental-health advocate and author Nicole Drapeau Gillen argues that disappearing mental-health apps threaten continuity of care—and that lasting services matter more than flashy technology.

She says business models and basic features can determine which apps survive, even when clinical effectiveness receives more attention.

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