This course is designed for students and professionals in psychology, medicine, and other clinical disciplines who want to build a practical understanding of AI and the skills to evaluate it critically.

You will explore the core concepts behind modern AI systems, including Machine Learning, Natural Language Processing, and Large Language Models, learning how these technologies work on a conceptual level and why they are increasingly relevant to mental health. You will also learn how to assess whether AI systems are trustworthy, with a focus on validity, reliability, and bias — and what it means for an AI tool to be safe and fair for use across diverse patient groups. Throughout, expert interviews with researchers and developers bring these concepts to life from the perspective of people who have actually built these systems. By the end of this course, you will have the foundation to understand, question, and critically evaluate AI tools — an essential skill as AI becomes increasingly present in mental health practice.