This study responds to the pressing issue of mental health crisis among undergraduate students in Hong Kong, where studies have revealed alarmingly high rates of depressive and anxiety symptoms among respondents, ranging from 40% to 68.5%. An international non-profit organization reported a 67% increase of suicidal rate of Hong Kong youths from 15 to 24 years old from 2014 to 2017.
In response to these challenges, this paper explores the potential role of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in addressing the gap in wellness support. GenAI, while not intended to replace the critical role of counselors and advisors, has the potential to support cohesive and accessible help.
With the latest development, GenAI is able to provide continued and holistic companionship, answering questions regarding career or academic concerns, with advantages including accessibility, human-like responses, and non-judgmental responses.
However, the integration of GenAI in wellness support also poses potential risks including biases embedded within the datasets upon which it was trained, privacy concerns regarding personal questions, hidden biases against marginalized groups such as English as a second language students, and the level of influence GenAI may have in decision-making processes.
To investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of integrating GenAI into student mental health support systems, a pilot study involving 50 undergraduate students over two years will be conducted.
This research aims to contribute to the ongoing discourse on student wellness support by exploring innovative solutions that leverage technology to address complex challenges faced by students in Hong Kong universities and other similar contexts.

Authors:
Erwin Huang, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong
Jac Leung, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong
Aki Leung, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong

About the Presenter(s)
Prof Erwin Huang is a serial entrepreneur and a leader in EdTech for 30+ years. As Assoc. Professor (Entrepreneurship) at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, his mission is to teach students about social innovation and entrepreneurship.
https://hk.linkedin.com/in/erwinhuang
Dr. Jac Leung is a Lecturer in the Division of Integrative Systems and Design at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. He co-authored the book AI Literacy in K-16 classrooms. Jac works on applications of Gen AI in teaching and learning.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jac-leung-60a75b216

Connect on Linkedin
https://hk.linkedin.com/in/erwinhuang

Additional website of interest
https://erwin.hk/

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