Technology Matters: Ambient voice technology in mental health and neurodevelopmental settings – considerations for responsible implementation and evidence gaps

Documentation comprises a large proportion of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) clinicians/practitioners' work burden and is often completed outside contracted working hours, either requiring overtime pay and/or contributing to burnout. Ambient voice technology (AVT) combines AI-driven automated transcription and reporting and is a promising tool to mitigate these challenges. Multiple commercial products have been deployed in clinical settings internationally, including mental health services. Guidance on safe and effective use is yet to be established, and specific regulation of AI-based health technology is still in its infancy or does not exist in many countries. Further, to date, evidence on safety, acceptability, system-level efficiency gains, performance and economic value is sparse. As a cross-disciplinary group with direct implementation experience, we provide a broad overview of the clinical, technical, ethical, regulatory and economic aspects of introducing AVT to CAMHS and neurodevelopmental clinical settings to guide decision-makers and highlight evidence gaps.