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UAE: Tech as therapist? AI is tool for detection, can not replace health specialists, say experts
'We’ve been able to break barriers much faster; however, I'd still be a bit careful with AI taking a central role,' said one mental health professional
- PUBLISHED: Thu 24 Apr 2025, 8:45 AM
Mental health specialists and startup founders say that although artificial intelligence is a great assistive tool for therapists, it should not be “left out in the wild.”
Marco Bertetti, co-founder of AI-assisted virtual mental health clinic Alea Health, said that AI should not give explicit tasks, but should be used cautiously to ensure patients are taking the right steps.
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Speaking in a panel session on the third day of Dubai AI Week 2025, mental health specialists and engineers argued that AI could serve as a valuable first step in early detection and support, but always with human supervision.
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Claudius Boller, founder of AI mental health platform Ollie AI, said that 80 per cent of existing systems in healthcare and insurance today focus only on treating diagnosed conditions.
“We feel this is structurally wrong,” he said. “We are here to prevent and predict mental health at the very early stage.” He also added that AI alone is not the solution. “There’s definitely a shortage of mental health experts for various topics,” he added.
Nokhez Usama, behavioural neuropsychologist and founder of AI-powered mental health platform Mindme, said, “We've been able to get a conversation going with the help of AI to reduce the stigma around well-being.”
The founder said that the platform allowed users to tell an AI tool their feelings, and describe their overall wellbeing. Based on their description, the AI bot would give them advice. This would give early warning of a potential disorder, and help the user identify the early signs of mental health issues.
Usama added that the anonymity has allowed some of her platform’s users to open up more quickly because they feel safe with it. “We’ve been able to break barriers much faster.” However, she said, “I think I'd still be a bit careful with AI taking a central role.”
What awaits the future of mental health is a combination of AI as a companion, along with mobile health apps, and wearable devices.
Bertetti explained that that combination could help identify stress triggers before they become larger problems.
He said that for instance, if AI had access to his wearable data and work calendar, it might notice his heart rate increases every day at 4pm and connect that to a recurring public speaking event.
With that context, the system could offer support or alert a mental health expert. This kind of integration could help users understand the link between their environment, emotions, and daily routines.
Hind Aldah is a business reporter based in Sharjah. In her spare time, you will find her playing classical guitar, painting amateur oil paintings, or crocheting the same old scarf that leads nowhere.