Greaves Jacob, Colucci Erminia
Middlesex University, London, UK.
BMC Public Health. 2025 Jul 2;25(1):2229. doi: 10.1186/s12889-025-23298-8.
Crisis support services offer crucial intervention for individuals in acute distress, providing timely access to trained volunteers whose human connection is key to the effectiveness of these services. However, there are significant disparities in who utilises these services. Recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) present new possibilities for crisis intervention in the form of AI-powered conversational partners. Yet, there is little guidance on how AI might be used in this context; and the risks and opportunities remain largely unexplored. This study aims to explore the risks and opportunities of integrating artificial volunteers (AVs) into crisis support, focusing on meeting the needs of those at risk of suicide. It collects the perspectives of crisis service volunteers to contemplate an AVs potential effect on the quality and effectiveness of support provided in crisis situations.
A thematic analysis was used to interpret 13 semi-structured, exploratory qualitative interviews of an UK-based crisis service volunteers.
Three concerns were identified regarding perceived inflexibility and inauthenticity of AI, and the potential for dehumanisation of texters, aligning with factors influencing suicidal behaviour, such as perceived rejection and feelings of entrapment. Despite these concerns, the study found potential advantages, including reduced perceived burden on texters, enhanced confidentiality, and consistent, impartial responses. Recommendations for potential implementations suggest a cautious yet open-minded approach to integrating AI into crisis support, emphasising the need for transparency, accountability, and clarity on the role of human oversight.
AI could complement rather than replace human support in the form of an AV, offering a differentiated, accessible avenue for those who might prefer or benefit from non-human interaction.
危机支持服务为处于急性痛苦中的个人提供关键干预，使他们能够及时联系到经过培训的志愿者，而人与人之间的联系是这些服务有效性的关键。然而，使用这些服务的人群存在显著差异。人工智能（AI）的最新进展为以人工智能驱动的对话伙伴形式进行危机干预带来了新的可能性。然而，关于如何在这种情况下使用人工智能的指导很少；风险和机遇在很大程度上仍未得到探索。本研究旨在探讨将人工志愿者（AV）整合到危机支持中的风险和机遇，重点是满足有自杀风险者的需求。它收集了危机服务志愿者的观点，以思考人工志愿者对危机情况下提供的支持的质量和有效性的潜在影响。
采用主题分析法对13名英国危机服务志愿者进行半结构化、探索性定性访谈。
确定了三个问题，涉及人工智能的灵活性和真实性、短信发送者可能出现的非人性化，这与影响自杀行为的因素一致，如被拒绝感和被困感。尽管存在这些担忧，但研究发现了潜在的优势，包括减轻短信发送者的感知负担、增强保密性以及提供一致、公正的回复。对潜在实施的建议表明，在将人工智能整合到危机支持中时应采取谨慎但开放的态度，强调透明度、问责制以及明确人工监督作用的必要性。
人工智能可以作为人工志愿者的形式补充而不是取代人类支持，为那些可能更喜欢或受益于非人类互动的人提供一种有区别的、可获得的途径。
