What are the biggest benefits of AI mental health apps?
By Siri Bandagiriye · The biggest benefits are being there at any hour, a place to talk without judgment, low cost, a safe way to practise hard conversations, and guided structure when your mind is racing. The best ones also help you reach back toward people.
- Always there. Day or night, no appointment.
- No judgment, no burden. You can say the thing you don't want to say to a friend yet.
- Low cost. Many have a free tier.
- Practice. You can rehearse a hard conversation before having it with a real person.
- Structure. Guided practices give you somewhere to start when your mind is racing.
The benefit I care most about is the last step: helping you reach back toward people.
What the research says
Among AI users in Canada, 46% said they used AI for mental health because it is free or low-cost, and 44% cited 24/7 access.1
In the same Canadian poll, 40% of AI users said they were more likely to seek professional care.1
A meta-analysis of 176 randomized trials found mental health apps have small but significant effects on depression and anxiety, with larger effects for apps using CBT, mood monitoring or chatbot features.2
Written by Siri Bandagiriye
I've been a Buddhist monk and mindfulness teacher for 30 years, and for six years a chaplain with Correctional Service Canada, sitting with people in crisis. I built Saati in Halifax as a companion for the ordinary hard days. If you'd like to see what it's like, it's free to try.