South African youth are grappling with significant mental health challenges, as highlighted by a UNICEF poll, which revealed that 73% of children and young people in South Africa needed mental health support in the past year, with 38% actively seeking help. Primary stressors include educational outcomes, the need for work skills, and employment opportunities, affecting 57% of respondents.
Addressing these mental health concerns is complex, but innovative technologies and companies can contribute valuable solutions. Although not everyone in South Africa has access to mental healthcare, 92% of households do have access to a cell phone. Leveraging this widespread mobile phone access, Brand Engagement Network Inc. (NASDAQ: BNAI), a creator of AI assistants and avatars, and Valio Technologies Pty Ltd., a digital platform network operator for patients, doctors, pharmacies, radiology, pathology, and hospitals, have partnered to increase access to mental health care in South Africa.
The partnership aims to develop healthcare AI assistants to offer mental health support to students at several universities, including Tshwane University of Technology, the University of Pretoria, and the University of Johannesburg. Collectively, these AI assistants will be available to over 315,000 college students.
The primary goal is to enhance student mental health through avatars and assistants capable of managing appropriate mental health conversations. Brand Engagement Network (BEN) is particularly well-suited for this initiative. The company is gaining recognition in the AI assistant market due to its human-like avatars, which drive better customer experiences, increased automation, and operational efficiencies.
BEN's technology employs smaller data parameters compared to larger models like ChatGPT, enabling scalable and tailored AI solutions for specific use cases. The company prioritizes a security-first approach, training its AI on client-provided data, using mixed technology for precise calculations, and adhering to clients’ internal data management and privacy protocols. BEN is also HIPAA and SOC 2 compliant.
Under the partnership, BEN will incorporate mental health content from Valio and Tshwane University of Technology, supplemented by additional sources, to create human-like avatars that act as digital therapists. These avatars will provide advice to help students manage various mental health issues, including stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, and substance abuse. If successful, BEN and Valio plan to negotiate a platform services and license agreement with the universities.
This collaboration is significant for BEN, marking its entry into the education and mental health markets, as well as its first venture into Africa. It underscores BEN's capability to develop responsible AI systems that positively impact society. While AI often faces scrutiny over privacy, security, and transparency issues, it also holds potential for substantial human benefits.
BEN is already making strides in the healthcare market by deploying conversational AI to improve patient experiences and medication understanding, leading to better outcomes. Its Remember Me technology integrates digital and physical interactions for a personalized customer experience. Meanwhile, BEN’s AI chatbot, Skye, assists patients in managing their diabetes medication, Metformin, by drawing from a curated data set provided by the drug maker and accredited medical groups, which prevents the chatbot from giving incorrect or biased answers. The same methodology is being applied to the mental health avatars.
A recent study found that South Africans experience higher rates of probable depression and anxiety compared to wealthier countries. BEN and Valio aim to address this issue, believing that AI can significantly assist in improving mental health outcomes. If their AI assistants prove effective in helping students, it will demonstrate the potential of AI to be a force for good.
Featured photo by Eye for Ebony on Unsplash
