Gemini is making it faster for distressed users to reach mental health resources
Google says it has updated Gemini to better direct users to mental health resources in times of crisis. The move comes as the tech giant faces a wrongful death lawsuit alleging its chatbot “dragged” a man to commit suicide, the latest in a series of lawsuits alleging tangible harm caused by AI products.
When a conversation indicates that a user is in a potential crisis related to suicide or self-harm, Gemini already launches a “Help is Available” module that directs users to mental health crisis resources, such as a suicide hotline or crisis text line. Google says the update – effectively a redesign – will streamline this into a “one-touch” interface that will make it easier for users to get help quickly.
The help module also contains more empathetic responses designed “to encourage people to ask for help,” Google says. Once enabled, “the option to seek professional help will remain clearly available” for the remainder of the conversation.
Google says it collaborated with clinical experts for the redesign and is committed to supporting users in times of crisis. He also announced $30 million in global funding over the next three years “to help global hotlines.”
Like other major chatbot providers, Google emphasized that Gemini “is not a substitute for professional clinical care, therapy, or crisis support,” but acknowledged that many people use it to obtain health information, including during times of crisis.
This update comes as part of a deeper review of the adequacy of industry protection measures. Reports and investigations, including our investigation into the provision of crisis resources, frequently point to instances where chatbots fail vulnerable users, helping them hide eating disorders or plan shootings. Google often performs better than many competitors in these tests, but is not perfect. Other AI companies, including OpenAI and Anthropic, have also taken steps to improve their detection and support for vulnerable users.
