Center researchers discuss “AI in the loop” at 59th Annual ABCT Convention

By Mia Lamont

The vibrant energy of New Orleans provided the perfect backdrop for the 59th annual Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT) convention, where researchers, practitioners, and innovators gathered to explore the future of mental health support. Among the many exciting events happening throughout the week, my colleague, Emily Hersch, and I were thrilled to present our latest work examining college students’ attitudes toward AI-assisted peer mentoring.

With AI increasingly playing a role in mental health support, our research was driven by a central question: How do students feel about the implementation of AI in the mentoring relationships that support their well-being and academic success? While there is growing enthusiasm for AI’s potential to scale support systems, we wanted to understand the student perspective: what excites them, what worries them, and what principles they believe should guide AI’s integration into mentorship.

Student reflections were thoughtfully honest. They acknowledged that AI could expand access to timely guidance, offer resources, and help mentors manage growing caseloads. Yet, they also voiced very real concerns. Many emphasized the importance of authenticity and human connection, noting that mentorship is fundamentally relational. There were also concerns about data privacy, transparency, and the possibility that AI tools could dilute the human-centered elements that make mentoring meaningful.

Across the survey responses, one theme stood out: AI should support, not replace, the human core of mentoring.Students want clarity about when AI is involved, reassurance that their data is protected, and considerate implementation that respects their expectations for genuineness and trust by their mentors. Future directions of our work will aim to address how we can ethically and effectively implement AI into peer mentoring and student support contexts.

The insights gathered at ABCT, along with broader conversations happening across the field, emphasize an emerging responsibility: to leverage technology in ways that enhance—not diminish—the relationships at the heart of student support.