Chatbot therapists? How AI is revolutionizing mental health

The average employee is happy to let AI summarize their emails and take notes for them in meetings, but should they be as willing to entrust a chatbot with their mental health? 

While AI programs and chatbots have helped increase access to mental health resources through apps and digital platforms, 45% of people still said they wouldn't be comfortable at all with an entirely AI-based therapy approach, according to data insights platform Satista. But according to two experts in the field, a lot of that apprehension stems from a lack of understanding of how exactly the tech will be utilized.   

"The problem, as we see it now, is access to quality mental health support that drives real outcomes," says Dr. Neha Chaudhary, double board-certified psychiatrist and chief medical officer at Modern Health. "If we reframe our thinking around the individual we're trying to serve, we're starting to have the right conversations, which is where I see AI and any sort of technological innovation really playing a strong role." 

Read more: Do employee wellness apps really work?

Currently, the average delay between the onset of mental illness symptoms and seeking treatment is 11 years, according to data from the National Alliance on Mental Health. This is due to a number of different factors, including negative stigmas, financial restraints and limited access to healthcare providers due to nationwide shortages. The consequences of going without any kind of intervention or a diagnosis can be severe, and are often tragic.   

"People are getting sicker," Dr. Chaudhary says. "They're struggling, and it's impacting the way they're showing up at work, with their families and for themselves. It starts taking a toll and it wears people down. Can you imagine breaking your leg and waiting 11 years before you go get it checked out by a physician? Absolutely not." 

AI-driven chatbots have the power to change that. According to the World Economic Forum, individuals who interacted with AI therapy chatbots experienced a 64% greater reduction in depression symptoms. The technology can also be used for early intervention: Another 2023 article published in the National Library of Medicine found that an AI algorithm could predict suicide attempts within a week with 92% accuracy and within two years with 85% accuracy. 

"We're not looking to replace any of our providers or any human in the loop in terms of care delivery," says Paul Clark, Modern Health's head of AI strategy. "But we believe AI is going to help people get more support and easier access to support. The idea of having something that is 24/7 on demand, localized and personalized to you, that's pretty compelling in terms of a first step." 

Read more: 5 benefits for your workplace wellness strategy

The idea is to introduce users to AI early in the intake process to gather information that will help build an accurate case on what they will need from their mental health provider. The most common method is to have a conversational chatbot ask thorough questions and make initial assessments before matching them with a therapist or a counselor. 

The AI will then work in tandem with mental health providers to offer support in between sessions by answering questions or flagging certain behavior. 

"Imagine a world in which there's an AI companion that notices your DoorDash orders for the past week have been more in line with the way or the type of food you typically order when you are becoming stressed, or when you're having an onset of depression," Dr. Chaudhary says. "That's the type of progress I think is actually very possible and sitting right in front of us." 

Already many of the most prominent mental health services platforms — including Lyra Health, BetterHelp and Talkspace — are already using AI to some degree in their practice, meaning that the approach isn't as new as people may think it is. 

These advancements don't just benefit patients, either. Intelligent and resourceful AI is just as much a tool for the therapists or counselors who use them. Up to 67% of mental health workers are experiencing high levels of burnout, according to the National Institute of Health, much of which is due to high case loads. Utilizing AI makes it so that the more administrative tasks, like generating care plans, are handled quickly and efficiently, and the professional can focus on the more important task, which is actually providing care.  

Read more: Will AI take over employee training next?

"It's about saving them time, energy and effort by giving them help where we can," Clark says. "We want to do something that levels the provider up to give a member the best, most personalized experience. We're not trying to do anything too heavy handed, especially not getting into the realm of therapist roles." 

There are still challenges, of course. Despite its rapidly growing use case, AI is still relatively new to the healthcare space, which means that it will be met with some pushback from both users and providers. Both experts agree this reaction is healthy and necessary, but that the untapped potential of leveraging more tech in these spaces is well worth the effort. 

"There are risks associated with anything new," Dr. Chaudhary says. "But if we don't take those risks, we're never going to make progress. Progress happens when you have people with the guts to dream sitting at the same table as people with the skills to build the knowledge responsibly, safely and with a purpose. With the right teams, you're set up to create something really special."