National Conversation to Address Emerging Risks and Opportunities
COLUMBUS, OH, UNITED STATES, February 4, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming part of everyday life for millions of people worldwide, including those experiencing suicidal thoughts. Alarmingly, OpenAI data suggests that approximately one million users discuss suicide with ChatGPT each week, and there are public reports of suicide deaths among young people who interacted with chatbots. As AI tools become more embedded in healthcare, education, and daily life, understanding their role in suicide prevention has never been more urgent.
Wednesday, March 4, 2026, at 1 p.m. EST, the National Suicide Prevention Advocacy Network (NSPAN), Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation (OSPF), and Suicide Awareness Voices of Education (SAVE) will host Exploring the Intersection of AI & Suicide Prevention, a national online conversation bringing together thought leaders, policymakers, mental health professionals, technologists, advocates, clinicians, and community members.
“This conversation is about meeting reality head-on,” said OSPF CEO Tony Coder. “People are already turning to AI during moments of crisis. The question is not whether AI will play a role in suicide prevention, but how we ensure that role is safe, ethical, and informed by lived experience and evidence-informed practice.”
During the three-hour webinar, national experts and policymakers will provide an accessible introduction to artificial intelligence, explore how AI is currently being used by individuals in distress, and highlight public policy efforts underway to establish safety standards and guardrails.
“We have to act quickly when lives are at stake,” said SAVE CEO Erich Mische. “This webinar is designed for everyone, from clinicians and researchers to parents and caregivers, who wants to understand both the risks and the potential of AI in suicide prevention.”
March 4 marks the first in a planned series of webinars focused on emerging issues that will shape the future of suicide prevention, with an emphasis on collaboration across sectors.
“Suicide prevention has always required us to evolve alongside culture and technology,” said NSPAN Board Chair Jennifer Fair Margraf. “Bringing different voices into the same virtual room, we can begin to develop shared solutions that prioritize safety, transparency, and human connection.”
The webinar is free and open to the public, but advanced registration is required.
About the Sponsors
National Suicide Prevention Advocacy Network (NSPAN) is a united front of organizations working together to reduce suicide and support and amplify community-based suicide prevention organizations through collaboration, advocacy, and connection.
Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation (OSPF) is a nonprofit organization that works tirelessly to prevent one of our most preventable causes of death: suicide. Our work includes reducing the stigma of suicide, promoting evidence-based prevention strategies, and raising awareness about suicide’s relationship to mental illness and substance use disorders, and other factors that contribute to suicide.
Suicide Awareness Voices of Education (SAVE) is a national nonprofit dedicated to ending the tragedy of suicide through education and training, advocacy, lethal means safety, and supporting suicide loss survivors. By offering free educational resources, teaching life-saving skills, supporting suicide loss survivors, and advocating for change, we believe we can make a significant impact and save lives.
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Stephanie Beougher
Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation
stephanie.beougher@ohiospf.org
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