Consumer Law and Policy Seminars:

Mental Health Specialist and General Chatbots: Challenges of Regulatory Design and Coordinated Regulators

28 Oct 2025 (Tuesday), 2:00 – 3:00 PM

Room 824, 8/F Cheng Yu Tung Tower, The University of Hong Kong

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Digital mental health apps and chatbots have boomed since Covid, but their rates of success and user engagement vary. Whatever their merits, the role of specialised mental health chatbots has been overshadowed by consumers’ use of general chatbots and companions for mental health support. These tools come with well-publicised failures to respond to indicators of self-harm by users. This work in progress talk explores these concerns about chatbots for mental health, and the regulatory challenges of effective regulation to protect consumers.

About the Speaker

Professor Jeannie Marie Paterson is a Professor of Law (consumer protection and AI regulation). Jeannie is the co-founding director of the Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Ethics (CAIDE), a cross disciplinary teaching, research and policy centre established by the University of Melbourne and the faculties of Law and Engineering and Information technology, along with membership from Arts, MDHS, and Education.

Jeannie’s research and teaching focuses on consumer law and regulatory design. Her current projects cover ethical and legal responses to misleading AI (incl deep fakes and misinformation), AI agents, companions and assistants, and AI in the civil justice system.

For inquiries, please contact Ms. Candy Ip at .

More information about the Institute, please visit Asian Institute of International Financial Law (AIIFL).