ThroughLine founder Elliot Taylor.<\/p>\n
He launched Throughline in December 2021. By early 2022, it had gained seed funding from investors including Blackbird New Zealand (the local arm of Australasia\u2019s largest venture capital fund) and Sir Stephen Tindall\u2019s K1W1.<\/p>\n
ThroughLine is an intermediary. <\/p>\n
The start-up doesn\u2019t detect when users of an AI chatbot, search engine, gaming platform or dating app are in mental distress. That\u2019s done by the platforms themselves (and despite increasing safeguards, it\u2019s an area where they can still stumble badly).<\/p>\n
Once a user in distress is identified, a platform like OpenAI\u2019s ChatGPT, Anthropic\u2019s Claude or Google\u2019s Gemini can pop-up information on where to find help from a selection of more than 1600 helplines in 178 countries, collated by ThroughLine, which has identified trusted sources of help in multiple languages and territories for those discussing suicide, self-harm, domestic abuse or other subjects indicating high risk.<\/p>\n
The various platforms using ThroughLine\u2019s service collectively serve its content to \u201ctens of millions\u201d of people per month, Taylor says.<\/p>\n
Google: First on, and expanding its efforts this month<\/p>\n
ThroughLine\u2019s key breakthrough came when Google signed on as a partner in 2023. <\/p>\n
Taylor visited the tech giant\u2019s offices in New York for the announcement that it would use ThroughLine for crisis help for Google Search, YouTube and Google Assistant users.<\/p>\n
At the time, ThroughLine had just two staff. Its partnership with Google \u2013 which now extends to 50 countries \u2013 was central to helping the young company expand.<\/p>\n
It also opened the floodgates, with the likes of ChatGPT maker OpenAI, Microsoft, Claude maker Anthropic, gaming platform Roblox, Discord and Match Group (owner of Tinder and Hinge) signing up.<\/p>\n
A simulated prompt in Claude that causes its real crisis banner \u2013 created in combination with NZ’s ThroughLine \u2013 to appear.<\/p>\n
Last year, ThroughLine also became one of the only two New Zealand companies to join the Google AI First Accelerator programme (the other was Atomic Tesselator).<\/p>\n
\u201cGoogle has a long-standing relationship with ThroughLine. We partner with them to add relevant local helpline information to search and this is now expanding to Gemini,\u201d a Google spokeswoman told the Herald earlier this week.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re updating Gemini to streamline the path to support for those who need it. When a conversation might signal a user may need information about mental health, Gemini will surface a redesigned \u2018Help is available\u2019 module \u2013 developed with clinical experts \u2013 to provide more effective and immediate connections to care.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen Gemini recognises a conversation that indicates a potential crisis related to suicide or self-harm, we\u2019re introducing a new, simplified \u2018one-touch\u2019 interface that will provide an immediate connection to crisis hotline resources, enabling a user to chat, call, text or visit the crisis hotline website. <\/p>\n
\u201cWithin this new interface, we design responses to encourage people to seek help. Once the interface is activated, the option to reach out for professional help will remain clearly available throughout the remainder of the conversation.\u201d<\/p>\n
At the same time as its Gemini upgrades, Google is providing US$30 million ($50.72m) to various mental health hotlines around the world.<\/p>\n
Taylor said his organisation would benefit indirectly from the new funding as it helped to build up the global ecosystem of helplines.<\/p>\n
ThroughLine\u2019s own AI<\/p>\n
ThroughLine also benefited from Google\u2019s AI accelerator programme, which has helped it develop its own AI agent, already in use with one major platform, Character.ai – recently in the news after it decided to enforce a voluntary ban on under-18s.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s an AI care navigation experience developed by our clinical team,\u201d Taylor says.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt asks a person what they\u2019re struggling with, so we can get context about their need and match them with the most relevant support.\u201d<\/p>\n
ThroughLine will also work with the Christchurch Call on radicalisation, and other expert groups in other areas, as it develops its AI.<\/p>\n
Taylor says legislative developments around the world, including phase two of Australia\u2019s online safety code and California\u2019s Senate Bill 234 (aka SB234), are helping to stoke demand for more sophisticated help services.<\/p>\n
SB234, which came into force in January, regulates \u201ccompanion chatbots\u201d designed for emotional interaction, specifically requiring safety guardrails to protect minors, mandatory AI-human disclosure and crisis protocols for self-harm.<\/p>\n
\u2018Empathetic crisis response\u2019<\/p>\n
A spokeswoman for OpenAI said, \u201cWe work with ThroughLine for crisis helplines to connect people experiencing emotional distress, suicidal thoughts, or a mental health crisis with trained listeners.\u201d <\/p>\n
The AI giant is assessing a possible expansion on its relationship with the Kiwi firm, but says it\u2019s too early to comment.<\/p>\n