Global Health Leaders Call for Suicide Prevention to be Embedded in AI Chatbots and Online Safety Policy

Global Health Leaders Call for Suicide Prevention to be Embedded in AI Chatbots and Online Safety Policy

GENEVA, DC, UNITED STATES, May 17, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Health leaders are calling for suicide prevention to be embedded in artificial intelligence (AI) tools, governance and online safety policy after a seeing a growing trend in children asking tools like ChatGPT, Grok and Claude for advice during times of mental distress.

The International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP), Orygen, Safe Online and Crisis Text Line say digital technologies and AI are rapidly transforming the way people, including children, seek information and access support. Most importantly, online platforms and AI-enabled tools are increasingly becoming first points of contact for people experiencing suicidal ideation or emotional distress.

Current AI governance and online safety frameworks do not yet adequately reflect suicide prevention evidence, guidelines and legislation, and the design of platforms, chatbots and algorithmic systems should be seen as a public health issue, not just a technology policy challenge.

A side event at WHA79 will bring together public health leaders, policymakers, civil society, and global health partners to consider how artificial intelligence and social media platforms can be designed and governed to protect vulnerable people.

As AI governance and online safety move up the global health agenda, this event is intended as a useful input for delegations and colleagues following these issues at WHA79.

Programme
The 90-minute session will take place on Wednesday 20 May 2026, from 12:00 to 13:30, at The Warwick Hotel, Rue de Lausanne 14, 1201 Genève.

Opening remarks will be delivered by Wendy Orchard, CEO of IASP, and Mark Van Omeren, Head of the Mental Health and Substance Use Unit at the World Health Organisation.

Panel 1:
Stakeholder panel is a moderated discussion bringing together voices from global health, civil society, and the AI safety and governance space. The panel will examine the current landscape of digital governance as it relates to suicide prevention and youth mental health, what we know, what the risks and opportunities are, and where we go from here.

The conversation will explore what it means for children and young people to grow up in digital ecosystems, the wider youth mental health landscape that this sits within, the opportunities offered by ethical, specialised AI tools designed for prevention and support, the mechanisms by which AI environments can amplify harm for vulnerable young people, and the regulation, safety-by-design frameworks and AI governance models that offer a credible path
forward.

Speakers include;
Marija Manojlovic (Safe Online, moderator), Margaret Meagher (Crisis Text Line), Professor Jo Robinson (IASP & Orygen) and Saisha M (Mariwala Health Initiative).

Panel 2:

Youth perspectives, Moderated by Nataya Branjerdporn, Orygen Global. Speakers include Whitney Gray (DTH-Lab), Adrián Pérez Ara (Brain Health Collective), Tiwa Ayeni (GMHAN) and Anne Geijtenbeek (WHO Youth Delegate - Netherlands).
The Panel will be centred on young people’s experiences of digital environments and will speak about their lived experience of online harm, the mental health impact of AI tools and social media, and what they need from platforms and policy makers.

The session is a civil society and expert convening. Panels do not include technology industry or Member State representatives, to keep the discussion focused on independent clinical, public health, and lived experience perspectives.

Quotes

Professor Jo Robinson, President, IASP
“Online platforms and AI tools are increasingly the first point of contact for people in distress. How these systems are designed and governed is a critical public health question. Suicide prevention must be built into AI governance and online safety from the outset, not treated as an afterthought.”

Marija Manojlovic, Executive Director, Safe Online
“AI-powered platforms are already one of the first places children turn in moments of distress and these platforms were not built with their safety in mind. AI safety and design decisions made today will determine whether digital spaces protect or harm children.”

Margaret Meagher, Chief Impact Officer, Crisis Text Line
“The evidence is clear: human-to-human support saves lives in mental health crises. AI should serve that, and it's encouraging that referral pathways from AI chatbots and social media platforms are emerging. But they're forming without coordination, clinical standards, or resources. That needs to change.”

About the event
Title: Online Safety: Artificial Intelligence, Social Media and Suicide Prevention
Date: Wednesday 20 May 2026
Time: 12:00 – 13:30 CET
Venue: The Warwick Hotel, Rue de Lausanne 14, 1201 Genève, Switzerland

Co-hosts: International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP), Orygen, Safe Online, Crisis Text Line
Registration: Here

Notes to editors
Media enquiries: Katherine Thomson katherinethomson@iasp.info
Partner press contacts:
Iryna Gudyma, Safe Online, iryna@safeonline.global


Filming and photography:
The event will be filmed and photographed. Footage, photography, quote cards and an event summary will be made available to media on request after the session. Interviews with co-hosts and panellists can also be arranged in advance or on the day.The event will be filmed and photographed.

Safe reporting: In suicide prevention communications we follow safe messaging guidelines. We ask media reporting on this event to do the same. Guidance for media is available from IASP at iasp.info/resources/Media_Guidelines/ and from the World Health Organization.

About the co-hosts
The International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) is the leading global organisation dedicated to preventing suicide and alleviating its effects through research, advocacy, and collaboration. With members in over 80 countries, IASP works closely with WHO, governments, and civil society to advance
effective, evidence-based suicide prevention worldwide.

Orygen is a global leader in youth mental health research, knowledge translation, training and clinical care, headquartered in Melbourne, Australia.

Safe Online is a global fund and platform dedicated to making the internet safer for children and young people, investing in solutions and partnerships across technology, policy and frontline services.

Crisis Text Line is a global mental health nonprofit that provides free, 24/7, confidential support via text in English and Spanish. The organization pairs human connection with scalable technology, research, and partnerships to strengthen mental health systems and drive lasting change. Anyone in need of support can text HELLO or HOLA to 741741 to reach a live, volunteer Crisis Counselor.

ENDS

Katherine Thomson
International Association for Suicide Prevention
email us here
Visit us on social media:
LinkedIn
Bluesky
Instagram
Facebook
YouTube
TikTok
X

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.