Employers have been told they need to do more to support their employees’ mental health as new research warns of the continuous deterioration of people’s psychological state and AI  becomes an increasing tool for advice.

The call came as French insurance giant AXA released its latest edition of the Mind Health report which found mental health worldwide continues to deteriorate.

In 10 of the 16 countries in the study, mental health scores are at their lowest since the first survey wave in 2021. In all 46% of those surveyed say they are struggling or languishing.

These results confirm a structural trend, driven by an accumulation of stress factors that are durably undermining psychological well-being. According to WHO, in 2025 mental health disorders remain very widespread and affect over a billion people around the world. In this context of widespread vulnerability, digital habits, whether time spent in front of screens or the increasing use of AI, are becoming essential to understanding and improving how individuals are supported.

Respondents report spending an average of 5.1 hours a day on screens during the week (excluding working and studying hours and excluding weekends), with screen time rising to 6.4 hours in the Philippines and Thailand. Two out of three people believe that this exposure has several negative, even if moderate, effects on their mental health.

At the same time, 43% of people identified as potentially being in a situation of “mental suffering” did not see any health professional during the year to talk about it. Barriers to consulting a professional persist and remain numerous : first, the feeling of not needing medical support, before cost of therapy or lack of time. This avoidance of medical care is opening the way to new forms of help-seeking, with individuals turning more towards solutions perceived as more accessible, immediate and that they perceive as less stigmatizing.

In this context, AI holds a special place in respondents’ daily lives: 61% say they already use AI for mental health matters, a practice that is particularly widespread in China, the Philippines and Turkiye. AI now  appears as a new player in the mental health landscape, removing multiple barriers: it is free, offers rapid responses and is available 24/7, but generates mixed experiences regarding the perceived quality of its advice.

In all 55% say they are satisfied with the advice provided by AI platforms. However, while AI already provides satisfactory help in finding support for mental health, it is not without problems: nearly one-third of users have already felt uncomfortable with advice given by AI (32%), and more than 1 in 4 even state that certain AI recommendations led them to engage in harmful behaviour (28%).

Yet respondents appear partly clear-sighted about the fact that this cannot replace professional advice. Only 38% declare they trust AI platforms more than mental health professionals when seeking advice.

Although the motivations for using AI to improve one’s mental health are varied, one certainty remains: it can be a valuable asset for prevention and for recognising one’s difficulties, provided that it is used in a supervised and limited way.

Beyond the human dimension, mental health has a direct impact on the economy: depressive and anxiety disorders are responsible for annual productivity losses estimated at $1000 billion dollars worldwide.

Patrick Cohen chief executive officer of AXA European Markets & Health: “Breaking the taboo surrounding mental health requires us to move beyond treating it as an individual concern and recognize it as the collective challenge it has become – affecting us all in unprecedented ways, driven by the context and changes reshaping our lives today. As an insurer on the frontline, we believe every responsible employer must focus on overcoming a fundamental barrier: access to first consultation. We are witnessing an increasing role for artificial intelligence in early support. However, these tools cannot replace therapists. A structured, coherent care pathway grounded in recognized medical expertise and robust support mechanisms remains essential to addressing this societal challenge.”