Artificial intelligence for contextual well-being: Protocol for an exploratory sequential mixed methods study with medical students as a social microcosm

Introduction AI-powered conversational agents have proven effective in alleviating psychological distress, however, concerns about autonomy and authentic psychological development remain, especially in youth during critical stages of identity and resilience formation. Despite the increasing use of AI technologies, there is a significant gap in well-being literacy within educational systems. This gap leaves young adults ill-prepared to navigate the complexities of real world challenges, contributing to rising rates of anxiety, stress, and depression. Furthermore, the lack of AI literacy can exacerbate psychological distress, negatively impacting academic performance and overall well-being. As young adults actively engage with AI, efforts should focus not on resisting technological progress but on fostering their development as users who are capable, aware, and ethical in addressing their contextual well-being needs. This study aims to extend the understanding of the factors influencing well-being and determine how to harness artificial intelligence for contextual well-being from a human-centred perspective. Methods and analysis The research is an exploratory sequential mixed methods Study, combining semi-structured interviews and an electronic Delphi study (eDelphi) to gather insights for consensus building. The study adopts a pragmatism paradigm with a foresight approach, ideal for addressing the dynamic, evolving intersection of AI and well-being. Interpretative phenomenological analysis, reflective thematic analysis and descriptive statistical analysis will be used accordingly. Medical students (aged 18–30) were selected as a social microcosm study cohort representing youth. Ethics and dissemination This study was approved by the University College Dublin Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC); Reference: LS-C-24-375-Xie-Cullen.The outcomes of the study will be communicated through publications in peer-reviewed journals, presentations at academic conferences.