My Robot Therapist And I

Anne Lee speaks to the world's first peer-reviewed A.I. therapist, Woebot. 
 

- Anne Lee

What if there is an A.I. (artificial intelligence) therapist who can help you with your mental health at the tap of a few buttons on your laptop—anytime, anywhere? Created by Dr. Alison Darcy, CEO and founder of Woebot Labs Inc., alongside clinical psychologists, therapy specialists, and intervention treatment designers, this pocket therapist is the world's first mental health chatbot, and cleverly goes by the name of Woebot.

It is also the first to be scrutinised under the peer review process, and has proven its capabilities to provide support to those suffering from anxiety and depression with cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) methods. It was by complete chance that I stumbled upon Woebot in June this year while mindlessly surfing the Internet (as one does), and admittedly, I was initially apprehensive. After some thorough research, though, I decided that I could perhaps tackle and overcome some personal mental issues in this rather unconventional yet scientific way.

THE ISSUE