Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the growing number of young people using generative artificial intelligence as an alternative to therapy; and whether the advice provided by such technologies is regulated.

Currently, no assessment has been made on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to monitor the unsupervised use of these therapy tools. However, we recognise the potential of AI to improve health and care services, including supporting people’s mental health. The United Kingdom has a world-leading regulatory system which ensures that medical technologies on the market are safe for use, including AI technologies. Should the National Health Service begin to assess AI-integrated therapy tools, they will be held to the same regulatory standards as other tools used by the NHS.

Ensuring technologies are safe is a top priority. To ensure the regulatory pathway is clear for both developers and adopters, the Department has supported the launch of numerous regulatory projects such as the AI and Digital Regulation Service (AIDRS) and the AI Airlock.

The AIDRS collaborates between the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulation Agency, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, the Health Research Authority, and the Care Quality Commission. The service, by providing a collaborative ‘one stop shop’ of information, advice, and guidance, allows adopters and developers of AI to easily understand what regulatory and evaluation pathways need to be followed before an AI tool can be safety deployed across health and care.