University students experiencing psychological distress responded better to a conversational artificial intelligence (AI) agent designed for emotional support than in-person group therapy, according to a
study published today in
JAMA Network Open.
Why It’s Relevant
Roughly one in eight people worldwide is affected by a mental illness, yet only a fraction of those who need care receive it. Mobile health apps have been touted as a means of increasing access, but keeping people
engaged is difficult. Interactive, AI-guided interventions that can adapt and build empathy may promote sustained engagement.
By the Numbers
- The investigators randomly assigned 995 university students (ages 18 to 35, 50.7% female) who reported current emotional distress to a 12-week AI-based conversational platform called Kai, face-to-face group therapy, or waiting-list control.
- At the end of 12 weeks, students who used Kai showed modest, but statistically greater improvements in anxiety symptoms, life satisfaction, and well-being compared with both the group therapy and control groups. These differences were still present at a three-month follow-up.
- The students who used the AI platform also reported greater reductions in depression symptoms compared with controls but not those in group therapy.
The Other Side
Outcomes were self-reported rather than clinician-rated, limiting external validation, and attrition at the follow-up was substantial (~35% in each group), potentially affecting longer-term estimates. In addition, the benefits of conversational AI didn’t extend to PTSD symptoms, suggesting that the impact of the intervention may be specific to general distress and positive functioning rather than trauma-related symptomatology.
Takeaway Message
There have been numerous reports of AI agents
triggering or worsening symptoms of mental illness, but these findings suggest that conversational AI may serve as a positive resource within mental health settings, “although its role is likely best suited as an adjunct or early intervention tool,” the study investigators wrote. “Further research is required to evaluate the responsible integration of such systems into existing care models.”
Related Information
Source
Anat Schoshani, et al. Efficacy of a conversational AI agent for psychiatric symptoms and digital therapeutic alliance: A randomized clinical trial. JAMA Network Open. Published online April 14, 2026. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.6713
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