Artificial Intelligence and Suicide Prevention

Artificial intelligence is changing how people look for information and support, how services are delivered and how research is produced. Many people now turn to AI chatbots and companions when they are struggling, including at times of suicidal crisis. These tools may widen access to support, but they also raise questions of safety, accountability and equity, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where regulation and local evidence can be limited. AI is also increasingly used to produce and analyse research, which brings new risks to the quality of the evidence that policy and practice depend on.

Scope

IASP’s Taskforce on Artificial Intelligence in Suicide Prevention works to support the responsible, evidence-based use of AI in suicide prevention. The Taskforce acts as a forum of expertise grounded in evidence and best practice, bringing together members from research, clinical practice, lived experience and policy.

Key activities include:

Evidence and Knowledge Hub: Building an accessible collection of research, guidance and policy on AI and suicide prevention.
Policy, Best Practice and Advocacy: Developing policy briefs, position statements and guidance for governments, practitioners and the technology sector.
Global Equity, LMICs and Lived Experience: Ensuring the needs and perspectives of low- and middle-income countries and people with lived experience shape every area of the Taskforce’s work.
Research Integrity: Addressing how AI is used in suicide research, including the risks of low-quality and fabricated research, and the need for ethical and safeguarding frameworks in research with people experiencing suicidal thoughts and behaviours.

Research

Drawing on the expertise of its members and IASP’s global membership, the Taskforce focuses on:

Mapping the existing evidence on AI in suicide prevention, crisis support and research.
Strengthening the reliability of the evidence base used to inform policy and practice.
Identifying research gaps and priorities, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
Supporting clear standards for the transparent and ethical use of AI in suicide research.

Implementation

IASP translates evidence into action through policy, engagement and communications:

Policy and Advocacy: Informing global, regional and national policy on the safe and effective use of AI in suicide prevention.
Industry Engagement: Through dedicated Industry Fora, held separately from the Taskforce’s governance, IASP shares evidence and expertise with AI developers and technology companies while maintaining its independence.
Communications: Sharing findings and guidance through webinars, podcasts and resources that support knowledge exchange across IASP’s global network.

Taskforce

CO-CHAIR

Professor Ann John

Director, National Centre Suicide Prevention and Self-Harm Research

CO-CHAIR

Assistant Research Professor Olivia Kirtley

Co-Director of the Center for Contextual Psychiatry (CCP) at KU Leuven in Belgium.