AR-GO lab Oy – ILI: piloting an AI-virtual companion for youth’s mental health support

Challenge: Sant Boi de Llobregat: How can minors with mental health issues be supported?

Target Group: Youth

The ILI pilot in Sant Boi de Llobregat tested an AI-powered companion designed to support adolescent mental health. The objective was to evaluate its use in a school environment after localisation into Spanish and adaptation to three co-created topics: family relations, self-esteem, professional orientation, and career path.

Co-creation involved collaboration with a group of scholars and interviews with teachers and mental health professionals to define relevant themes, ensure ethical safeguards, and prepare for onboarding. The AI model was trained accordingly, and thirty students from a secondary school class were invited to test the solution by chat sessions with an AI-companion.

The pilot demonstrated strong initial engagement, but low participation rates in conversations with AI. Feedback from students and teachers emphasised the importance of adult guidance, cultural context, and a longer implementation period for meaningful integration. Competing digital tools and academic pressure at the end of the year created challenges for sustained use.

While the solution is technically ready, continued use requires improved onboarding, clearer safety protocols, and dedicated support from teachers or youth counselors. The platform is now available for free use by adolescents, and follow-up conversations have begun with four relevant stakeholders, including the IMPROVA research project. Future steps include further training of the AI model and co-development with institutions in the education and health sectors.