The AI Therapist Will See You Now

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IS evolving fast. Large language models such as ChatGPT and Gemini can write papers and code, make quirky art, and attempt deep research and complex problem-solving. Now, AI is venturing into a more personal role: therapist.

- Emma Camp

With loneliness on the rise and many Americans struggling with mental health, entrepreneurs such as Neil Parikh, co-founder of the AI therapy program Ash, argue that AI can help when traditional therapy is inaccessible.

“Hey, Ash, our conversation earlier was super helpful. The thought's still there, but it’s not bothering me nearly as much as it was before,” Parikh says into his phone in a video demonstrating the tool's therapeutic know-how.

“I'm glad to hear,” a calming female voice replies. “That’s the power of cognitive diffusion. The thought didn’t disappear, but you got a little distance from it. You're not your thoughts, you're the observer of them.”

A new startup called friend has recently shipped out its $129 wearable AI companions, currently only available on iPhones. The device resembles an AirTag on a necklace and monitors users’ thoughts and feelings by listening to conversations and surroundings via its microphone, then texts responses like a real-world friend.