The Predictive and Preventive Potential of AI for Mental Health

Whereas artificial intelligence (AI) has been in business use for many decades now, the world has only recently awoken to its potential for social and developmental impact. Notable among such impact is the potential AI holds for preventive health—especially with regard to mental health at the individual as well as communal levels. This article introduces the many possibilities for AI deployment for preventive mental health purposes. It discusses these within the current context of social and technological readiness across South and Southeast Asia. The relevance of socio-technical as well as economic and political factors contributing to technology development, deployment and usage is highlighted. Listing the various ways in which predictive analytics can be combined with mental health indicators, the article suggests some possible ways that communities across the region can harness the potential of AI and affiliated emerging technologies.