The Ethics of AI-driven Technologies in Youth Mental Healthcare
Category
Business, Economics and Law
Description of research project
As demand for accessible and responsive youth mental healthcare continues to rise, AI is increasingly being explored as a tool to support service delivery, enhance personalisation, and improve access to care. However, alongside these opportunities, significant ethical concerns remain regarding bias, fairness, cultural appropriateness, privacy, and the risk of exacerbating existing health inequities. Our Health Research Council of New Zealand (HRC)-funded project is examining the ethical implementation of AI in youth mental healthcare in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Through co-design with young people, clinicians, Māori communities, technology experts, and policymakers, the project aims to develop practical guidelines for safe, equitable, and culturally responsive AI-driven mental healthcare services.
Further information about the study is available here: https://aut-research-ethical-ai-in-youth-mental-healthcare.runable.site
Inclusion and/or exclusion criteria
We are interested in hearing from adults aged 25-65 based in New Zealand: mental health clinicians, ethics and policy experts, youth health advisors, kaupapa Māori kaimahi, technology and AI specialists, and others with relevant experience or perspectives in youth mental healthcare.
Role categories:
a. Mental healthcare practitioners: e.g., psychologists, psychiatrists, clinical consultants.
b. Healthcare policymakers and technology developers: People involved in shaping NZ mental healthcare policy or decisions regarding the integration of digital technologies within the past 24 months.
c. Youth mental health advocates and advisors: People from mental healthcare organisations, or relevant non-profits who have developed, implemented, or managed digital technologies in NZ healthcare services within the past 24 months.
d. AI / Digital health technology specialists: Specialists from firms in digital technology design, digital strategy, or technical implementation for NZ healthcare services within the past 24 months.
Statement of ethics approval
Approved by the Auckland University of Technology Ethics Committee on 2026-03-31 for Three years.
AUTEC approval number
26/8
Contact person
Anca Yallop, anca.yallop@aut.ac.nz
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