General Petraeus announces AI-powered mental health initiative for Ukraine at American University Kyiv

During a recent visit to American University Kyiv (AUK), former CIA Director General David Petraeus announced a groundbreaking initiative aimed at addressing Ukraine's growing mental health needs.

In an interview with Rubryka, General Petraeus shared details of Mental Help Global, a new AI-driven platform set to launch in Ukraine.

"The objective of Mental Help Global is to build a nonprofit AI-enabled social media platform, which could help meet the unmet mental health assistance requirement here in Ukraine," Petraeus said. With up to half of Ukraine's population potentially in need of mental health support, the initiative aims to augment, not replace, the services of mental health professionals.

The platform will be developed at AUK, leveraging Ukrainian tech and mental health expertise, with funding secured for two annual $100,000 grants to hire specialists.

"It might take up to a year to build a fully functioning platform. But if the principle proves true here, we would then seek to introduce it to other countries with similarly large populations experiencing mental health issues," he explained.

Petraeus, who has been a key donor to AUK, also highlighted the contributions of Mitzi Perdue, a strong supporter of Ukraine, who recently auctioned her engagement ring for $1.3 million to aid Ukrainian police.

Beyond the mental health project, Petraeus discussed the broader implications of US foreign policy and the ongoing war in Ukraine. He touched on the significance of continued Western support for Ukraine, noting, "We should be doing everything possible to enable Ukraine to preserve its independence. That's my bottom line."

This new initiative underscores the critical role technology will play in providing mental health support and reflects the global community's ongoing commitment to aiding Ukraine during challenging times.