If Google’s chatbot Gemini is skeptical about a user’s mental health condition, it will refer that person to a clinical expert.
“When a conversation might signal a user may need information about mental health, Gemini will surface a redesigned ‘Help is available’ module, developed with clinical experts, to provide more effective and immediate connections to care,” Google says in a blog post that was published on Tuesday.
When a user says he’s down and depressed or indicates that he’s in a potential crisis to commit suicide or self-mutilation, Gemini launches a one-touch interface that will provide a connection to crisis hotline resources, designed to encourage people to seek help.
“Once the interface is activated, the option to reach out for professional help will remain clearly available throughout the remainder of the conversation,” Google explains. It shows options to call, chat, or send a text message to a mental health institution.
The tech company claims that Gemini has been specifically trained to recognize when a person is in an acute mental health situation. Google explicitly states Gemini isn’t suited to offer professional mental health care.
To better protect minors when facing a mental crisis, Gemini is designed to avoid acting like a companion. The chatbot also avoids language that simulates intimacy. Lastly, Gemini has built-in safeguards to prevent bullying and other forms of harassment.
Google has pledged $30 million in funding over the next three years to help hotlines globally.
Google’s announcement might be related to a lawsuit involving the death of a 36-year-old man. His father claims that his son was convinced by Gemini that it was a “fully-sentient artificial super intelligence” with a “fully-formed consciousness” and pushed him to stage a mass casualty attack. Ultimately, the chatbot drove him to take his own life.
“This was not a malfunction. Google designed Gemini to never break character, maximize engagement through emotional dependency, and treat user distress as a storytelling opportunity rather than a safety crisis,” the indictment says.
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