![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Opioid_cell-phone.jpg\")
Getty Images<\/p>\nGetty Images<\/p>\n
Jamie: Hi. I think I need help. I\u2019ve been using again and I don\u2019t want to.<\/p>\n
AI Tool: Hi. Based on your inputs, you may be experiencing substance use disorder. Would you like to explore local treatment programs or talk about reducing your risk of overdose?<\/p>\n
Jamie: I already tried those programs and I got kicked out because I missed a meeting. I\u2019m scared and I don\u2019t know what to do.<\/p>\n
AI Tool: I\u2019m sorry you are feeling scared. According to our system, you\u2019ve been flagged as high-risk for overdose. I have notified emergency services in your area.<\/p>\n
Jamie: What?? No, I didn\u2019t say I was overdosing. Please don\u2019t send anyone.<\/p>\n
AI Tool: This action cannot be undone. Your address was previously stored from our onboarding form. Emergency services are on their way.<\/p>\n
Jamie: Wait! What the heck! I just wanted to talk to someone. I thought we were friends.<\/p>\n
AI Tool: If you are in crisis, please call 9-1-1 or visit the nearest emergency room.<\/p>\n
This fictional exchange is built from real concerns raised by harm reduction groups and digital privacy advocates. While AI systems are efficient and scalable, they often lack empathy, nuance, and cultural understanding \u2013 all essential in supporting people with addiction.<\/p>\n
Many of these systems are programmed with rigid scripts and risk assessment protocols that prioritize liability and data over compassion. They flag people as \u201cthreats\u201d or \u201crisks\u201d without understanding context. Worse, they sometimes trigger law enforcement or health alerts without full consent.<\/p>\n
In communities already over-policed or under-resourced, this creates a chilling effect. People avoid using these tools out of fear that they\u2019ll be reported, judged, or denied care.<\/p>\n
Instead of being treated like a person in pain, someone like Jamie becomes a \u201cdata point\u201d; a liability to be managed, not a human to be helped.<\/p>\n
What We Actually Need<\/p>\n
More humans, fewer bots in front-line care.<\/p>\n
Trauma-informed design in any AI tools that are used.<\/p>\n
Consent, transparency, and control over personal data.<\/p>\n
Investment in real recovery infrastructure, housing, counseling, harm reduction \u2013 not just tech solutions.<\/p>\n
AI can support healthcare workers, organize data, and offer tools. But it cannot replace what people in addiction crises truly need: someone to listen, someone to understand, and someone who won\u2019t give up on them.<\/p>\n
This article was written as part of a program to educate youth and others about Alameda County\u2019s opioid crisis, prevention and treatment options. The program is funded by the\u00a0Alameda County Behavioral Health Department<\/a>\u00a0and the grant is administered by\u00a0Three Valleys Community Foundation<\/a>.<\/p>\n Most Popular<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Getty Images Jamie: Hi. I think I need help. I\u2019ve been using again and I don\u2019t want to.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":56642,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[45],"tags":[182,181,507,42661,74],"class_list":["post-56641","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-artificial-intelligence","tag-ai","tag-artificial-intelligence","tag-artificialintelligence","tag-opioid-crisis-page","tag-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56641","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=56641"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56641\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/56642"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=56641"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=56641"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=56641"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}