Wait, which episode of Black Mirror are we in now? No, this isn’t science fiction. It’s now just science. A group of entrepreneurs and researchers have developed an “eXtended-reality Artificial Intelligence Assistant (XAIA)”. It utilizes augmented reality and virtual reality therapy modes to support mental health.
With a name like “XAIA”, maybe we are in a sci-fi show?? AI chatbots have actually demonstrated therapeutic effectiveness in studies for a while now. These chatbots conduct therapy by providing human-like responses based on how therapists might respond in structured therapies (e.g., CBT).
XAIA utilizes this same technology to provide virtual reality therapy sessions with the client. It also allows the user to add augmented reality features to the environment. Design features include placing a humanoid-looking therapist avatar in one’s current environment or in an AI generated environment.
The program also offers additional features to promote the apps vision of “mental health wellness.” Users can also opt for brief relaxation sessions, guided meditation in generated environments, or practice of emotional awareness and recognition.
Pros: Structured research has found that individuals tend to find this program acceptable, safe, and helpful. The app is also available 24/7, because who needs sleep? The app boasts the ability to remember information and integrate it into later meetings. Good thing every session would not be session #1. The app’s multiple features is also a strength.
Limits: Research analyses did not include important clinical outcomes. So the degree to which this program helps symptoms, significant distress, and functional difficulties is not clear in the short- or long-term. Cost itself is a major limitation (a Vision Pro on its own costs $3500), leaving this option out of reach for most of the population seeking services. Lastly, the app is not a human (but interestingly, research found only a portion of participants had this complaint).
They seem to be thinking of everything these days when it comes to mental health support. More research is needed to assess how effective XAIA is. Not to mention more time needed to make it cheaper! But it does show some promise!
** This is not a sponsored post. bridge dissemination currently does not hold contracts with any hardware or software companies. We may do so at some point, as long as that is consistent with our mission of getting good information to you. For now, we just want to let you know about interesting and potentially impact stuff.
