Kazakhstan’s military has turned to artificial intelligence to help stressed service members, unveiling the “AI-sulu” Telegram bot, a digital adviser available to those in need around the clock. The development comes as military leaders around the world look more closely at AI as a tool for the psychological treatment of personnel who sometimes go through harsh and traumatic experiences as part of their job, and are reluctant to talk to other people about it.
The Kazakhstani bot was introduced at a military meeting in Astana in late September by Major Qasymkhan Tuitin, head of the information department at the National Military-Patriotic Center, which hosts displays about military history and promotes education and morale in the armed forces. The goal is not to replace human responders, he said, but to offer a first line of assistance at a critical time.
“AI-sulu cannot replace a live specialist, but in difficult moments it can provide first aid, listen, and direct people toward the necessary advice and resources,” Tuitin said, according to the Ministry of Defense.
AI-sulu provides anonymity to military personnel and their families and is available in the Kazakh and Russian languages, the ministry says. At the Astana meeting, participants talked about how to prevent destructive behavior and the role of IT tools in psychological work.
The military’s bot initiative comes as Kazakhstan prepares to deploy artificial intelligence on a large scale across the economy, government and education, though there are concerns about cybersecurity, regulatory oversight and other aspects of the fast-developing technology.
Militaries in some other countries have implemented AI in psychological treatment or are looking to do so.
Chatbots were introduced in Ukraine, a highly digitized society, to help address psychological trauma after Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
A recent article published in the Military Medicine journal in the United States said there has been less research in U.S. military populations, compared to civilian populations, about the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning in behavioral health. There are positive signs but more research is needed, it said, noting concerns about suicide rates and declining mental health in the military.
Another article in the journal noted that progress by adversaries such as China and Russia in AI-driven military health care “underscore the urgency for the United States to accelerate its integration efforts.”
The veteran affairs department of Canada’s government posted about a study this year of an AI-powered chatbot that would provide “trauma-informed” support to service members who have suffered sexual assault and harassment.
“Existing resources are underutilized due to stigma, fear of retaliation, and complex procedures,” the department said. “This project will explore the potential of using Large Language Model (LLM) driven chatbots to improve access to trauma support in a safe, confidential, and judgment-free manner.”
