India, Oct. 10 -- According to Dr Deepak Raheja, chief psychiatrist at Hope Care India, AI can, at best, be just a first layer of support in mental health, but should never be mistaken for foolproof advice. "It can provide information or help a young person articulate what they are feeling, but it cannot replace the empathy, clinical judgement and human connection that are critical when someone is in serious distress or at risk of suicide. A screen can respond to a person's words, but a human being can recognise the pain behind them, ask the difficult questions and stay when it matters most," he says. AI models, in particular, can severely struggle to recognise suicidal thoughts or self-harm intent, says Dr Singh. "Instead, they may sometimes offer inappropriate reassurance or responses that fail to reflect the seriousness of the situation. For someone experiencing severe depression or an acute mental health crisis, that can have serious consequences," he warns....