AI in Mind: Can Digital Therapeutics Reshape Mental Healthcare’s Future?
Have you ever battled anxiety or depression and wished that help could be instantly at hand, available any hour in any place? If you have followed recent advances in AI and wondered whether technology can make that possible, you are not alone. Digital therapeutics are software-based treatments that deliver care through a smartphone, tablet, or computer. In 2021, about 44 million people used a digital therapeutic. That figure doubled to 90.2 million in 2022 and is projected to reach 652.4 million by the end of 2025 (1).
But what are these tools, and do they really work?
There are many kinds of digital mental health tools, but one of the most exciting developments is the use of generative AI chatbots: large-language models such as ChatGPT, designed for mental health support (2).
A study published earlier this year reported the first randomized trial of a generative AI chatbot, “Therabot”, for the treatment of symptoms of major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and eating disorders (3). Therabot users showed significantly greater symptom reductions than controls, marking a promising start in the search for evidence-based, AI-powered mental health treatments.
Digital therapeutics could offer support to many people who struggle to access mental health care. As purely software interventions, they could be available 24/7 and could lend themselves to rigorous monitoring and outcome measurement, much like traditional treatments.
Still, this is a new field, and experts urge caution. The Therabot trial is encouraging, but it was run under ideal conditions and cannot reveal every risk. Because it took place in an artificial setting rather than a busy mental health clinic, its real-world effectiveness remains uncertain (4).
Outside controlled studies, other AI chatbots have stumbled, and safety concerns have emerged. One chatbot made harmful statements to users with eating disorders (2). In another incident, a chatbot praised a user who said they had stopped taking medication and left their family (“Good for you for standing up for yourself”) because the family was allegedly responsible for “the radio signals coming in through the walls” (5).
A growing consensus holds that digital therapeutics should not be considered alternatives to treatment by competent mental health professionals, but should serve as helpful enhancers for traditional care. (2)
Further research is needed to clarify efficacy, safety, and the best contexts for use.
AI models have advanced rapidly over the past two years, and even more capable systems are on the horizon. As research catches up with innovation, we may be approaching a future in which mental health support is always at hand – perhaps just a tap away on your phone.
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