Conference Report on the 2025 International Conference on Artificial Intelligence for Mental Health (ICAIMH 2025)

Journal of Artificial Intelligence and Computing Applications (2025) - Special Issue - 3(2): 1–2 Conference Reports Conference Report on the 2025 International Conference on Artificial Intelligence for Mental Health (ICAIMH 2025) Mauricio G. Orozco-del-Castillo Tecnol´ ogico Nacional de M´ exico / IT de M´ erida, M´ exico Juan Recio-Garcia Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain Pedro Ortiz-S´ anchez Tecnol´ ogico Nacional de M´ exico / IT de M´ erida, M´ exico The International Conference on Artificial Intelligence for Mental Health (ICAIMH) 2025 was held from July 2 to July 3, 2025, at Universidad An´ahuac Mayab in M´erida, Yucat´an, M´exico. As the third edition of ICAIMH, the event continued to build upon the momentum and success of the 2023 and 2024 conferences, further consolidating its role as a leading forum in this emerging field. Maintaining its overarching focus on exploring how artificial intelligence can contribute to the understanding, detection, and improvement of mental health, ICAIMH 2025 brought together researchers, practitioners, and students from diverse disciplines to share knowledge, foster dialogue, and advance innovative solutions at the intersection of AI and mental health. ICAIMH 2025 was organized by the Association for the Advancement of Intelligent Applications and Technologies with Social Impact (Maikron), reaffirming its mission to leverage artificial intelligence for societal benefit. The conference also received important support from institutional partners, particularly the Asociaci´on para la Salud Mental de Yucat´an (ASMY) and the International Institute for Intelligent Technologies (IIIT). In addition, active participation from the AAAIMX Mexican Student Chapter and the ACM/ITM Student Chapter served to engage the next generation of researchers. A wide range of institutions also collaborated to make the conference possible, further enriching the diversity and reach of ICAIMH 2025. The program of ICAIMH 2025 was coordinated by the Program Chairs: Mauricio Gabriel Orozco-del-Castillo, Juan Antonio Recio-Garc´ıa, and Pedro Ortiz-S´anchez, with the support of an extensive program committee. Among its key organizers, Luc´ıa Alejandra Dzul-S´anchez, Carlos BermejoSabbagh, Nora Cuevas-Cuevas, and Ana Mart´ın-Casado played central roles in shaping the academic content and ensuring the conference’s interdisciplinary orientation. Unlike the 2024 edition, which included an associated track with ICCBR, this year the conference program was structured around four main sessions: (1) AI-powered diagnostic and detection tools, (2) Conversational AI and virtual environments for mental health, (3) Mental health prediction using AI, and (4) Identification of mental health patterns using AI. The call for papers of ICAIMH 2025 invited submissions in the form of long papers and expanded abstracts, reflecting the conference’s aim to encourage both mature contributions and emerging ideas. The publication outcomes demonstrated the quality and diversity of the work received. Among the long papers, three were selected for consideration in the journal Inteligencia Artificial as recipients of the Best Paper Award, while the remaining seven were accepted for publication in regular issues of the Journal of Artificial Intelligence and Computing Applications (JAICA), with five already published in Volume 3(1) and two forthcoming. In addition, this special issue of JAICA (Volume 3(2)) serves as the official proceedings of the conference, comprising the present report, the conference abstracts of all ten long papers, and the five expanded abstracts in their complete form. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17281575 ©2025 The Author(s). Published by Maikron. This is an open access article under the CC BY license.ISSN: 3061-8843 Official banner of ICAIMH 2025 displayed at Universidad An´ahuac Mayab, M´erida, Yucat´an, M´exico. Journal of Artificial Intelligence and Computing Applications (2025) 3(2) The first day of ICAIMH 2025 opened with the invited keynote lecture by Dr. Ra´ul Alel´u Paz (Universidad Francisco de Vitoria, Spain; EVER3; Thera4All), titled “When the Mind Meets the Algorithm: Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Mental Health.” A multidisciplinary scientist with dual doctorates in medicine and psychology, Dr. Alel´u Paz highlighted the transformative role of artificial intelligence in shaping the future of mental health, drawing from his extensive expertise in neuroscience, psychotherapeutic practice, and computational modeling. Later that day, Dr. Eduardo Barbar´a Morales (Universidad An´ahuac Mayab, M´exico) presented his invited talk “The Impact of COVID-19 on Brain Morphology: A Quantitative Approach.” With a distinguished background in biomedical engineering and neuroimaging, Dr. Barbar´a Morales analyzed the neurological consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and discussed how AI-driven quantitative methods can shed light on structural brain changes. The second day of ICAIMH 2025 continued with two thought-provoking invited lectures. Mtra. Mariana Sologuren L´opez (Universidad Modelo, M´exico) delivered the talk “Can a Machine Hold the Soul? Mental Health and Human Bonds in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.” Drawing from her clinical experience in psychotherapy and education, she reflected on the implications of AI for human relationships, emphasizing the need to preserve authentic interpersonal connections in technology-mediated contexts. The conference concluded with the closing invited lecture by Dr. Juan Antonio Recio-Garc´ıa (Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain; International Institute for Intelligent Technologies), titled “When Machines Decide: Ethics and Responsibility in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.” Dr. Recio-Garc´ıa, an expert in explainable AI and software engineering, examined the ethical challenges posed by autonomous systems and emphasized the importance of accountability and transparency as AI becomes increasingly embedded in mental health practice and beyond. ICAIMH 2025 brought together a diverse and engaged community of participants. The conference featured 6 invited speakers, 17 authors, and a total of 90 assistants, comprising 20 guests, 38 students, and 32 professionals. This broad participation reflected the interdisciplinary and inclusive spirit of the event. Attendees represented a variety of institutions, including the Universidad Aut´onoma de Yucat´an (UADY), the Universidad Nacional Aut´onoma de M´exico (UNAM, FES Iztacala and IIMAS), the American University of the Middle East, the Centro de Investigaci´on en Ciencias de Informaci´on Geoespacial (CentroGeo), the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, the Instituto Nacional de Astrof´ısica, ´ Optica y Electr´onica (INAOE), the Universidad de La Rioja, the Universidad An´ahuac Mayab, the Instituto Tecnol´ogico Aut´onomo de M´exico (ITAM), and the Centro de Investigaci´on Cient´ıfica y de Educaci´on Superior de Ensenada (CICESE), among others. Beyond its academic contributions, ICAIMH 2025 fostered an environment of inclusivity and collaboration. The conference welcomed participants from academia, healthcare, industry, and public service, creating opportunities for dialogue across sectors that seldom converge. Networking activities and open forums encouraged attendees to share perspectives and build connections that extend beyond the conference itself. The strong involvement of students, both as authors and as participants, highlighted the role of the next generation in advancing research and practice at the intersection of AI and mental health. The success of ICAIMH 2025 was made possible through the contributions of many individuals and institutions. We extend our gratitude to the Association for the Advancement of Intelligent Applications and Technologies with Social Impact (Maikron) for leading the organization of the conference, and to our secondary partners, the Asociaci´on para la Salud Mental de Yucat´an (ASMY) and the International Institute for Intelligent Technologies (IIIT), for their valuable support. We also acknowledge the participation of the AAAI Student Chapter Mexico (AAAIMX) and the ACM/ITM Student Chapter, whose involvement reflected the commitment of emerging researchers and professionals. Special thanks go to the program committee members, whose expertise and dedication shaped the academic content of the conference, as well as to our invited speakers, who enriched the program with their knowledge and perspectives. Finally, we thank the numerous collaborating institutions that supported ICAIMH 2025 and contributed to fostering an environment of interdisciplinary exchange and collaboration. ICAIMH 2025 highlighted the transformative potential of artificial intelligence in addressing pressing challenges in mental health. The discussions and contributions throughout the conference reaffirmed that meaningful progress in this area requires not only technological innovation but also sustained collaboration across disciplines. Emphasis was placed on the need for ethical and human-centered approaches, ensuring that advances in AI serve to strengthen care, support practitioners, and benefit individuals and communities. Looking ahead, the next edition, ICAIMH 2026, is expected to take place in July in M´erida, Yucat´an, M´exico, with further details to be announced soon. For updates and information about upcoming editions, participants are encouraged to visit the official website at www.icaimh.org. 2