ABSTRACT Mental well‐being is central to adult learner success, yet many adult education institutions lack capacity to provide timely and accessible support. This article examines how artificial intelligence (AI) can strengthen mental health–adjacent supports in adult and continuing higher education, with attention to professional practice and institutional responsibility. Drawing on adult learning theory, the educational interface perspective, and stepped‐care principles, the article distinguishes between AI tools designed to detect distress and those that enhance accessibility and personalized learning. Practical applications are explored across advising, course design, behavioral nudges, and peer mentorship networks. Ethical considerations, including privacy, informed consent, bias, faculty workload, and appropriate human oversight, are addressed, along with strategies for responsible integration. When implemented thoughtfully, AI can augment rather than replace professional judgment while promoting equity, persistence, and holistic well‐being for adult learners.
McClain et al. (Mon,) studied this question.