AI Virtual Therapists Could Improve Mental Health Care, Studies Find [Video]

SUNDAY, Jan. 26, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Could a virtual avatar be the future of mental health care?

New research shows that artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality (VR) goggles could revolutionize therapy — helping patients overcome addiction and receive unbiased care.

A recent study in the Journal of Medical Extended Reality focused on patients with alcohol-associated cirrhosis, a serious liver condition linked to long-term alcohol use.

Using a VR app developed at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, patients had counseling sessions with AI-powered avatars programmed for motivational interviewing and cognitive behavioral therapy.

After 30-minute sessions, 85% of participants said they found the experience to be helpful, and 90% expressed interest in doing it again.

“For individuals awaiting liver transplants for cirrhosis, alcohol addiction remains a high-risk factor,” corresponding author Dr. Brennan Spiegel, a professor of medicine and director of health services research at Cedars-Sinai, said in a news release. “We see VR as a way to augment traditional interventions, which often …