Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Mental Health: Innovations, Challenges, and Ethical Imperatives

Abstract

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly viewed as a promising tool for improving access to and scalability of mental health services, particularly thrrough application such as Chatbot, predictive modeling and emotion recognition technology.However, its integration raises significant ethical and psychological concerns, including algorithmic bias, privacy violations, and the potential erosion of human empathy. This qualitative integrative review aimed to critically examine the dual role of AI in mental health, synthesizing evidence on its efficacy and ethical challenges. The study systematically searched Scopus, Google Scholar, PubMed, and PsycINFO databases, employing a structured search strategy. From an initial pool of 70 papers, 10 high-impact studies were selected based on rigorous inclusion criteria (peer-reviewed, focus on AI applications, ethical/psychological implications).