Today we interviewed David Thorne from the Suicide Bridge Project on the Church Solutions Podcast. Below are the highlights from the recorded podcast on October 8, 20204.
Welcome to another insightful episode of the Church Solutions Podcast! Episode 447 brings a powerful conversation about harnessing technology to tackle one of the most pressing issues in society today—suicide prevention. Your hosts, Phil Thompson and Steve Lacy, dive into a sensitive yet essential topic as they explore the intersection of AI and human intervention with guest David Thorne from Missional Marketing.
The Importance of Suicide Prevention
Suicide is now the 11th leading cause of death in the United States, with men—especially white males—making up nearly 68% of all suicide deaths. These staggering statistics highlight the urgent need for both traditional and innovative solutions to prevent such tragedies. David Thorne and his team are working on one of these innovative solutions—the Suicide Bridge Project, which combines AI technology with compassionate human interaction to intervene before it’s too late.
What is the Suicide Bridge Project?
The Suicide Bridge Project was born out of a deep personal conviction. Its founder, a San Francisco photographer, witnessed someone jump from the Golden Gate Bridge. Since then, he has spent years walking the bridge, identifying people who might be at risk and engaging with them to offer help. But the question arose—what if we could intervene much earlier, before someone even reaches the bridge?
This is where the AI for Suicide Intervention project comes in.Leveraging the Google Ad Grant, which provides nonprofits with $10,000 per month for advertising, the Suicide Bridge Project identifies individuals at risk for suicide based on their online search activity. Their AI-driven tool monitors and interprets search queries, providing a digital “safety net” for those seeking help by directing them to online resources that offer support and guidance.
How AI Helps Intervene
The AI tool, developed by a talented engineer from India, uses predictive AI models to identify individuals at risk based on their online behavior. For example, if someone searches for “suicide by bridge,” they may be directed to a page that offers support and alternatives. The technology goes beyond search results, offering interactive tools like quizzes, sentiment analysis, and chatbots that help users assess their emotions and find appropriate resources, such as connecting to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (9-8-8).
David shared that this tool could be a game-changer not just for individuals but for organizations as well. It has the potential to be integrated into doctor’s offices, schools, workplaces, and even social media platforms, offering real-time intervention at the moment someone contemplates suicide.
Overcoming Challenges
While the project shows tremendous promise, it’s not without its challenges. Training AI models to recognize suicidal behavior is time-consuming and expensive, requiring specialized knowledge and resources. As David explains, developing and deploying this technology is not a quick or cheap process, but the potential for saving lives makes it worthwhile.
Funding is another hurdle. Currently, the project is funded by the founder and supported by contributions from dedicated experts like Sanjeev, their AI specialist. However, the team is exploring both nonprofit donations and for-profit investment opportunities to ensure the project’s long-term sustainability.
The Road Ahead
The Suicide Bridge Project is live, and the team is ready to partner with local nonprofits, governments, and even churches that want to build a digital safety net for their communities. The ultimate goal is to identify and support individuals long before they reach the crisis point. With time, David envisions this technology being deployed on a larger scale—whether through schools, social media, or workplaces—to help prevent suicides nationwide.
If you’re a church or nonprofit interested in creating a safety net for your area, the Suicide Bridge Project is ready to collaborate. As a church, you can use the Google Ad Grant to help bring life-saving resources to those in need in your community.
Final Thoughts
This podcast episode touched on a highly sensitive but crucial topic. For anyone out there contemplating suicide, David’s message is simple: Not today. Talk to someone, call 9-1-1, or reach out to the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 9-8-8. There is always hope, and help is available.
For more information on how you can get involved, visit Suicide Bridge Project, or reach out to David on platforms like LinkedIn and TikTok under the handle “DrThorne.”
As always, thanks for tuning into the Church Solutions Podcast. For more resources on how your church can make a difference, visit streamingchurch.tv and dailydive365.com. Stay safe, take care of each other, and we’ll see you in the next episode.