Can AI be a therapist? How new tech is aiding the mental health-care system
CTV
Artificial intelligence is increasingly being incorporated into people's daily lives, including in mental health care in Canada. Many telehealth companies are using AI to give personalized health care to patients, and most use text as a main form of communication.
When Entisar Bukair needs a moment for self-care and to destress, she opens up the Mind-Easy app on her phone.
There, the London, Ont. lawyer is greeted by her friendly, artificial intelligence (AI) avatar, who leads her through breathing exercises and listens while she vents about her busy day.
The avatar, named Olivia, speaks back to Bukair in Arabic -- a feature of the app that allows users to select different languages for interactions.
A friend suggested the app to Bukair last November as she was looking for an easy and regular way to take care of her mental health. As a practising lawyer, she said being mindful of her own well-being is important when taking on other people's emotions.
"It feels super personalized and the avatars that are showing up, they look like me," Bukair told CTVNews.ca in an interview.
Bukair said she tried in-person therapy in the past, but felt like it was hard for her therapist to connect with her.
"They don't take into the fact that I am a veiled Muslim woman, because the person offering to me is not placing the same weight and significance that I would on these different intersectionalities and identities that I hold so dearly to my heart," Bukair said.
