The World Health Organization (WHO) has published three recommendations on the use of AI in mental health and wellbeing, developed during an online workshop event bringing together more than 30 international experts in AI, mental health, ethics, and public policy.
The event, held as a pre-summit event for the India AI Impact Summit 2026, was attended by researchers, clinicians, policy makers, and advocates, WHO explains. One of the topics discussed related to the potential risks and challenges around growing use of generative AI tools “neither designed nor tested for mental health”, particularly by young people.
Sameer Pujari, AI lead for WHO, noted: “The pace of AI adoption in people’s daily lives has far outstripped investment in understanding its impact on mental health. Closing that gap requires coordinated action and dedicated resources from both the public and private sectors.”
Generative AI should be recognised as a public mental health concern, the first recommendation advises, “with commensurate responses across government, health systems, and industry that address all generative AI solutions, not only those intended for mental health”.
Other recommendations include that mental health should be integrated into impact assessments and monitoring of AI solutions to understand impact on determinants of health and outcomes such as emotional dependence; and that AI tools used for mental health support should be co-designed with mental health experts and those with lived experience, tailored to cultural, linguistic, and contextual factors.
WHO also shares that it plans to establish a Consortium of Collaborating Centres on AI for Health to support member states in responsible AI adoption, with a meeting of candidate consortium members earlier in March having driven alignment on shared priorities.
Wider trend: Digital mental health
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has issued new guidance for the public and healthcare professionals on the use of apps and digital tools for mental health support, aiming to help people make more informed choices and “know what to do if something doesn’t feel right”. The MHRA also lists five things to check prior to using a digital mental health tool, stating that claims around medical benefits should be clearly explained and supported by evidence, that age and intended users should be clearly stated, and that “trustworthy products will explain how they have been tested or evaluated”.
The Irish government has published a national digital mental health strategy, focusing on access, communications, digital tools, co-production, research, innovation, and technology. Key digital initiatives include the HSE Health App, national shared care record, community care record, and EHR. The overarching vision is to take advantage of the potential of digital technologies to improve the quality and accessibility of mental health information, tools, and services. Principles include co-design with service users and the wider public, standards and governance for digital mental health, digitally secure foundations, digital inclusion, and a digitally enabled workforce.
NHS England has shared that 50,000 eligible adults living with bipolar, schizophrenia, psychosis, or major depression in England and Wales have been invited to the “world’s largest” mental health study looking to promote personalised treatment for severe mental illness. Detailed questionnaires will be sent out for participants to complete online, seeking to understand what can increase the risk or severity of serious mental health conditions. Information will also be taken from participants’ NHS medical records, allowing for links to be made between genes, background, biology, and mental health.
