Session: AI in Mental Health: When Tech Meets the Mind
As artificial intelligence begins to interpret speech, emotion, and behavior, it’s stepping into one of humanity’s most sensitive domains mental health. From detecting stress through voice analysis to supporting triage for anxiety and pain, AI has immense potential to expand access to care. Yet, when technology interacts with the human mind, transparency and ethics are essential.
This talk bridges AI innovation, ethical design, and human wellbeing. I’ll share how Explainable AI (XAI) techniques such as SHAP, LIME, and attention visualization can make mental health models more transparent and trustworthy. Attendees will see how explainability transforms AI from a black box into a collaborative, empathetic tool that clinicians and users can understand and trust.
By blending human-centered design and responsible innovation, we can shape AI systems that don’t just predict or diagnose they listen, explain, and empower.
Bio
I am Naga Lalitha Sree Thatavarthi, a Senior Full Stack Developer at the American Physical Therapy Association, where I contribute to digital transformation and AI-driven innovation in healthcare. I’m passionate about building ethical and explainable AI systems that enhance wellbeing and accessibility. As a Microsoft Certified Azure AI Specialist and Women in Tech Global Awards nominee, I strive to bridge technology and empathy through responsible AI design.