Survey reveals surprising openness to AI surveillance for early detection, but consumers draw a hard line at automated decision-making
AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Iris Telehealth, a leading provider of transformative behavioral health services for health systems and community healthcare organizations, today released findings from its 2025 AI & Mental Health Emergencies Survey. The national survey of 1,000 consumers examined public perceptions of AI in identifying and responding to high-risk mental health cases, including trust in technology, expected follow-up actions and the role humans should play in high-stakes decisions.
The data indicates that while respondents recognize AI’s potential to expedite the detection of behavioral health crises, they overwhelmingly oppose any model in which AI makes final care decisions without human involvement.
“Our findings should serve as a call to action for healthcare leaders,” said Andy Flanagan, CEO of Iris Telehealth. “Consumers are willing to accept certain privacy trade-offs if it means faster, more effective intervention, but they are equally clear that human oversight must remain central to care. AI can and should accelerate detection, but “…trust, accountability, and clinical judgement should remain in human hands — for now, at least.”
Key insights from the report include:
- Privacy concerns are less of a barrier than expected: Nearly half of consumers (49%) said they would allow AI to monitor facial expressions, voice tone and typing patterns if it meant earlier detection of mental health risk.
- Human oversight is non-negotiable: Seventy-three percent say human providers should make the final call in AI-flagged emergencies, while only 8% would trust AI to act independently.
- AI is most effective as a rapid alert system: While 21% view AI as innovative and potentially life-saving, most emphasize caution, citing concerns about false positives (30%) and overreliance on technology over human connection (23%).
- Crisis response must remain personal: The top two preferred responses when a crisis is detected are notifying a trusted friend/family member (28%) or receiving a call from a counselor within 30 minutes (27%).
While these findings reflect broad sentiment, notable differences emerged across demographic groups. These distinctions provide important guidance for health systems as they evaluate how best to integrate AI responsibly and equitably into crisis-response protocols.
Key demographic findings:
- Gender gap: Men are more open to AI detection (56% would use automatic monitoring vs. 41% of women). Women are more likely to insist that providers make the final decision (78% vs. 68%).
- Generational preferences: Nearly one-third of millennials and Gen Z feel “very comfortable” with AI monitoring, compared to just 5% of boomers.
- Income factors: Lower-income consumers are more receptive (61% of those earning $25k or less would use AI monitoring) than high earners (44%).
By combining rapid detection with human oversight, healthcare systems can intervene earlier, reduce unnecessary emergency room visits and improve outcomes for individuals in crisis. Iris Telehealth is committed to advancing research and sharing best practices that help health systems navigate this evolving landscape, ensuring that innovation in mental healthcare remains safe, personal and effective for every patient.
To learn more about how AI-driven risk intervention can be responsibly applied in mental health emergencies, visit: https://iristelehealth.com/blog/ai-mental-health-crisis-detection-what-1000-americans-really-think-about-ai-powered-emergency-response/
About the Survey
The Iris Telehealth AI & Mental Health Emergencies Survey was conducted in August 2025 among a national sample of 1,000 U.S. consumers across ages, genders, income levels and educational backgrounds.
About Iris Telehealth
Iris Telehealth helps healthcare organizations consistently increase access to quality behavioral health care for their patients by providing the care models, clinicians, analytics and expertise to build a sustainable behavioral health program. With clinical grounding and emphasis on human relationships, Iris Telehealth identifies best-fit providers for each unique organization and ensures long-term commitment to meeting their partner’s needs, allowing them to provide the highest quality care to their patients and community.
Media Contact
PANBlast on behalf of Iris Telehealth
Annie Cumming
[email protected]
317.806.1900
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SOURCE Iris Telehealth
