With the population aging, addressing the mental health and psychological well-being of older adults is becoming increasingly urgent. Traditional therapeutic approaches, while valuable, often struggle with issues of accessibility and scalability. Conversational AI offers innovative solutions, as these technologies, including chatbots and virtual assistants, can engage in natural language conversations, help detect early signs of mental problems, and deliver tailored support. However, despite these potential benefits, there are challenges and gaps in the research concerning the designated system design for older adults, support of empirical evidence, ethical and social implications, etc. These challenges significantly influence the willingness of older adults to use AI tools and their effectiveness. This special issue welcomes researchers to examine the development, implementation, and ethical considerations of conversational AI in this context, which aims to advance our understanding of how this technology can be integrated into mental healthcare for older adults, offering new pathways for improved well-being.

The mental health of older adults is at risk due to rising rates of cognitive decline, depression, anxiety, and loneliness. Understanding the specific needs of older adults is vital to supporting them in different contexts. Traditional psychotherapeutic approaches may not always be available to older adults, possibly due to reasons such as limited accessibility, fear of stigmatization, and financial concerns. Conversational AI thus could offer a promising solution by providing mental health support through natural language processing and AI-driven virtual assistants.

However, to fully realize the potential of conversational AI for older adults, further research is needed. Therefore, the goal would be to refine these technologies, making them user-friendly and culturally sensitive. More empirical evidence is required to support the effectiveness, which would facilitate future implementation. Addressing ethical considerations, such as privacy and data security, is also crucial. By advancing these areas, conversational AI can be effectively integrated into mental healthcare for aging populations, enhancing well-being and quality of life.

Submissions for this topic include but are not limited to areas such as:
-Development and design of user-friendly and culturally sensitive conversational AI systems for older adults;
-Use of conversational AI to identify early signs of mental health issues in older adults;
-Personalization and adaptation of conversational AI responses and interventions to individual needs and preferences;
-Ethical and privacy considerations that address data security, privacy concerns, and ethical implications of using AI in mental healthcare;
-Evaluating the effectiveness of using conversational AI on mental health outcomes;
-Comparing the efficacy of conversational AI with traditional therapeutic approaches and/or other digital health interventions;
-Strategies for integrating conversational AI into existing mental healthcare systems and ensuring broad accessibility;
-Implementation of conversational AI among adults with different characteristics in different contexts;
-Assessing the user experience and engagement level of how older adults interact with conversational AI.

All manuscript contributions submitted to this Research Topic must highlight or utilize the application of conversational AI in enhancing mental health and psychological well-being for older adults.

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Frontiers in Psychology

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