Millions of people now turn to AI chatbots for information, companionship, and support, including in their most vulnerable moments. Yet how those systems respond when someone may be at risk of suicide or self-harm is not guided by any shared standard, clinical protocol, or regulatory requirement.

Ahead of World Mental Health Day on October 10, Partnership on AI (PAI) today announced a new area of work with the establishment of the AI and Psychological Well-Being Working Group, a multistakeholder body that will develop public guidance for the AI field and report progress over time.

“People are bringing their hardest moments to AI systems, and the field needs to define what an evidence-informed response looks like,” said Rebecca Finlay, CEO of Partnership on AI. “At PAI, that means working with the clinicians, researchers, and crisis counselors who have spent decades learning what safe support means, together with the developers building these systems.”

The work is the first major initiative under AI, Human Connection, and Well-Being, a core focus area in PAI’s 2027–2031 strategic plan. The plan concentrates PAI’s efforts on building responsible AI business practices that serve the public interest. An extension of PAI’s AI and Human Connection program, the new work draws on nearly a decade of experience in information integrity and human-AI collaboration.

“Our new strategy puts PAI’s weight behind practical standards for the field to adopt and measure itself against,” Finlay said.

The group’s first project will develop guidance for how general-purpose AI chatbots should respond to people who may be at risk of suicide or self-harm. A draft will be released for public input later this year, followed by final guidance that organizations can formally adopt. The guidance on a high consensus topic like suicide prevention will also serve as a model for other less aligned issues in the future, such as emotional reliance on AI, and the line between support and sycophancy.

The working group will also map the existing landscape of evaluations, develop shared definitions for measuring what matters for human well-being, and identify key gaps that require closing. It will surface open research questions and help connect funding to the efforts best placed to answer them, establish an ongoing process for measuring progress over time, and help build a durable practice of collaboration between AI and mental health specialists.

The group comprises AI practitioners, leading mental health and suicide prevention organizations, crisis support services, clinicians, academic researchers, and people with lived experience of mental health challenges. It draws on PAI’s community of more than 150 partners, including a growing number of organizations from the mental health field, and will work through PAI’s established process of structured deliberation, expert input, and public consultation.

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is among the organizations taking part. “We are pleased to join the important work of the Partnership on AI and are prioritizing the need for deeper understanding and support of AI in mental health and suicide prevention education, research and engagement. We are encouraged by AI advancements within our field, and committed to serving communities, families, teens and workplaces nationwide with evidence-informed guidance and education as we navigate together the ever-changing, evolving AI landscape,” said Christine Moutier, M.D., Chief Medical Officer, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

This work is supported by a grant from the OpenAI Foundation. As an independent nonprofit, PAI is funded by a broad range of philanthropic and institutional supporters, and its guidance is developed through deliberation, public input, and review by partners from civil society, industry, academia, and other sectors.

If you or someone you know is struggling, support is available. In the United States, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, or text HELLO to 741741 to reach Crisis Text Line. Outside the United States, contact local emergency services or a local crisis line.

About Partnership on AI

Founded in 2016, Partnership on AI (PAI) is a global, independent nonprofit that brings together more than 150 partner organizations across sectors to help ensure artificial intelligence advances positive outcomes for people and society. PAI also works closely with governments, policymakers, and multilateral institutions to inform public policy. Together, PAI’s partners shape the research, frameworks, and practical guidance that help move responsible AI from principle to practice.

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