So far, the AI-based "tree hole" rescue team has helped more than 500 depressed patients in China, Science and Technology Daily reported on August 19.

Huang Zhisheng, a senior researcher at VU University Amsterdam, has been researching artificial intelligence (AI) for more than three decades.

Huang developed an AI robot in charge of screening Microblog users with suicidal intentions. To better help those who may suffer from depression, he sponsored a rescue team called "tree hole," a metaphor used to describe a post on social media written by someone who shows suicidal tendencies, which is then followed by many similar comments.

The robot, based on semantic technology, can rate the risk of suicide from 1 to 10. Warnings will occur if a post is rated 6 or above, Huang introduced.

In the beginning, the rescue team could only reach out to two or three people each day owing to the labor shortage. "Now, we find at least 10 at-risk people on a daily basis," said Huang.

Huang explained that the robot finds it easy to find these people, but it's hard to provide a solution to the real problem.

"Depressed patients need long-term treatment and company from those who are willing to listen to them," Huang said.

Besides the AI technology group, the rescue team has expanded to include doctors, psychological consultants and volunteers.

"Depression is a disease, like cancer," Huang noted.

In China, about 250,000 people kill themselves each year, with over half previously being diagnosed with depression.

Huang called for more people to pay attention to those suffering from depression and join in the rescue team.