How do I know if an AI mental health app is legit?
By Siri Bandagiriye · Check who built it, whether it makes medical claims it can't back up, whether the privacy policy is clear about storage and deletion, whether it gives crisis numbers and admits its limits, and whether it's designed to hook you or to help you need it less.
Ask five questions:
- Who built it, and what is their background? Is there a real person and company behind it?
- Does it make medical claims ("treats anxiety", "clinically proven") it can't back up?
- Is the privacy policy clear about storage and deletion?
- Does it give you crisis numbers and admit what it isn't?
- Is it designed to keep you hooked (streaks, guilt notifications), or to help you need it less?
Saati is built by Inspire Sirius Living Inc., a Nova Scotia company in Halifax. I'm the founder: a Buddhist monk for 30 years, a mindfulness teacher, and for six years a chaplain with Correctional Service Canada working with people in crisis.
What the research says
In a study of 73 top-ranked mental health apps, 64% claimed to be effective, but only two described any evidence from their own use, and that evidence was low quality.1
In 2023, the Mental Health Commission of Canada launched the country's first Assessment Framework for Mental Health Apps, which sets standards for safety, quality and effectiveness.2
A 2022 review of 578 mental health apps found that only 77% had a privacy policy, and that popularity was little help in identifying which apps protected privacy better.3
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.