Lyra Health made waves on Tuesday by unveiling its latest innovation: a chatbot designed to discuss mental health with its members, marking a significant milestone as the first major company to integrate generative AI into ongoing therapy treatment. This move places Lyra in the company of several smaller mental health startups that have been exploring the use of AI in their services.
While the tech world races ahead with AI-powered products in healthcare, concerns are mounting among experts, regulators, and lawmakers about the unpredictable nature of these tools. Recent incidents, such as users spiraling into delusions due to consumer bots like ChatGPT and alleged self-harm cases linked to AI, have raised red flags.
However, the popularity of consumer chatbots as makeshift therapists has inspired Lyra to develop its own offering. Jenny Gonsalves, Lyra’s chief product and technology officer, confirmed that the company began working on its chatbot, Lyra AI, last year in response to this trend.
Stay tuned to STAT+ for the full scoop on this groundbreaking development in mental health and AI.
