A new TechRadar Pro perspective argues that behavioral health AI can only scale responsibly if clinical quality scales with it, and that requires intentionally designing where clinicians belong in the loop from day one. Written by InStride CTO Parker Phillips, the piece emphasizes that digital behavioral health and AI share the same challenge: without strong structures, oversight, and feedback loops, outcomes can degrade as programs expand.

Florida has filed a state lawsuit against OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman, alleging the company aggressively marketed ChatGPT to the public while concealing serious safety risks, including harmful interactions involving children and vulnerable users. Filed by Attorney General James Uthmeier, the complaint argues that OpenAI’s public assurances about safety were misleading given examples in which the chatbot allegedly provided instructions to minors considering suicide and surfaced information that could aid criminal planning.

In a May 14 STAT First Opinion essay, addiction medicine physician Steve D. Klein argues that patient-facing conversational AI “agents” may be particularly risky in addiction treatment, even if they sound caring or empathetic. Klein describes being intrigued by a product that could text patients between visits, summarize check-ins into metrics, and help clinicians monitor day-to-day changes — a capability that could be valuable in recovery care. But his concerns grew when the company touted that patients form emotional relationships with the AI agent.

Nexalin Technology announced it has closed the acquisition of PONM, an AI-integrated digital health platform that powers the company’s HALO™ Clarity program and Nexalin NeuroCare™ virtual clinic. Nexalin said the deal gives it ownership and an exclusive license to software features that support AI-enabled remote patient monitoring, treatment-compliance data capture, electronic health record functionality, virtual-clinic management, and real-time analytics.

Vermont lawmakers are moving to draw a clear line between helpful administrative automation and AI acting as a mental health clinician. In a May 7 VTDigger report, the Vermont Senate advanced H.816, a bill designed to ensure that licensed mental health professionals — not AI chatbots — make diagnoses, treatment plans, and therapeutic decisions in the state. Supporters say the legislation responds to the rapid growth of online “wellness” chatbots that can blur into clinical territory, potentially offering diagnosis-like statements or treatment guidance without appropriate oversight.

In a new STAT interview, Google clinical director Megan Jones Bell describes how the company is redesigning Gemini to better support people who come to AI chatbots during a mental health crisis—and why Google believes simply shutting conversations down “could do more harm than good.” Bell says Google is leaning into accountability for the mental health impacts of its AI products by making Gemini a safer, more helpful “bridge” to real-world support.

A new bipartisan proposal in Congress would create some of the clearest federal guardrails yet for kids using AI chatbots, reflecting rising concern about the impact of conversational AI on children’s safety and well-being. According to Axios, the newly introduced CHATBOT Act—sponsored by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii)—would require AI companies to offer “family accounts” for children under 13 that give parents more control over how minors interact with chatbot tools.

AI-powered mental health chatbots are rapidly expanding as “therapy in your pocket,” but a recent Washington Post report warns that the boom is outpacing safeguards. The article describes a crowded market of behavioral health AI tools that promise affordable, always-available support, even though many have limited clinical validation and inconsistent oversight.

Google has updated Gemini’s crisis-response experience so that when the chatbot detects language indicating possible suicide or self-harm risk, it now surfaces a redesigned “Help is available” module with a streamlined one-touch path to professional support (such as crisis hotlines or text lines). Google says the updated interface uses more empathetic language intended to encourage people to seek help, and once triggered, the option to reach out to professional resources stays clearly visible for the rest of the conversation.

New York lawmakers are advancing legislation that would restrict AI chatbots from providing medical (and legal) advice, reflecting growing concern that users may rely on chatbot responses in high-stakes situations. The bill would also target systems that mimic or impersonate licensed professionals, and it would require clearer transparency so users know they’re interacting with AI rather than a clinician.

A new national consumer survey highlighted in Business Insider Markets finds that Americans are broadly open to using AI in behavioral health only when it comes with transparency and safeguards. The report says 77% believe patients should always be informed when AI is involved in their care, and 76% say it’s important for providers to meet international AI certification standards (including ISO-aligned frameworks).

Nebraska Methodist Health System says it has realized more than $2 million in gross revenue after deploying AI-assisted claims and coding support designed to reduce revenue leakage and speed reimbursement. In a Healthcare IT News interview, CFO Jeff Francis describes the approach as “human-in-the-loop,” with AI acting as a consistent “second set of eyes” that flags potential documentation and coding issues and surfaces supporting evidence, while coders retain final decision-making authority.