AI chat tools test new ground in therapy as clinicians assess risks & benefits

As AI chat tools move deeper into mental health care, psychologists are weighing the promise of round-the-clock support against concerns about safety, bias, and the limits of algorithmic empathy. Lyra Health, a provider of mental health solutions, is piloting AI chat functions to customers experiencing mild and moderate challenges like burnout, sleep, and stress. Users get support from a conversational AI guide, which has a risk-flagging system built in to identify situations requiring escalation to Lyra’s 24/7 care team. Alethea Varra, Ph.D., chief clinical officer of Lyra, said patients currently under the care of Lyra providers have access...