Human Voice, Digital Response: The Path of Crisis Lines Towards Artificial Intelligence in Eastern Europe

In the context of Romania's digital transformation, AI is gaining ground, triggering significant changes in both the public and private sectors, for example, in the automation of public employees' work and the development of public services. The use of AI is widespread among young people in Romania, but trust in the infallibility of the technology can also pose challenges in managing crisis situations. In terms of the social situation, Romania has a complex social structure with multiple ethnic and cultural groups, which influences the diversity of problems articulated through crisis lines, including economic, identity, health, and social crises. Telephone crisis lines are, therefore, not only a response to individual crises, but also play a key role in the interaction between social tensions and digital technologies. The aim of this research is to explore how AI can be integrated effectively and ethically into the functioning of crisis lines, while being sensitive to the diverse forms of crisis in Romanian society, and to contribute to the international professional discourse in the field of AI-based psychosocial support.