Tele-MANAS helpline sees rise in callers turning to humans after AI falls short on mental health - The HinduPublished - April 27, 2026 12:18 am IST - HYDERABADOne of Tele-MANAS’s strongest features is anonymity. Callers are not required to reveal their identity, location or name. | Photo Credit: File PhotoIn an age of Artificial Intelligence-generated answers, human connection is still proving irreplaceable in moments of distress. At the Tele-MANAS helpline (14416) in Hyderabad, counsellors are increasingly hearing from callers who have already turned to AI tools to make sense of their emotions, but find their concerns lingering, prompting them to seek a real human voice on the other end of the phone line.“They come and tell us clearly, ‘I spoke to ChatGPT, but it didn’t work. Finally, it suggested I call a helpline. That moment is revealing. It shows both, the growing reach of AI in personal decision-making and its limits when it comes to human distress,” says P. Jawaharlal Nehru, senior counselling psychologist at the helpline.Published - April 27, 2026 12:18 am ISTSign in to unlock member-only benefits!Access 10 free stories every monthSave stories to read laterAccess to comment on every storySign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single clickGet notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products${ ind + 1 } ${ device }Last active - ${ la }