TRUSTEES OF DARTMOUTH COLLEGE

First Clinical Trial Shows AI Therapy Bot Effective for Depression and Anxiety

- Dartmouth researchers' AI therapy bot "Therabot" demonstrated significant symptom reduction in the first clinical trial of generative AI therapy, with depression symptoms decreasing by 51% among participants. - The eight-week trial involved 210 participants with depression, anxiety, or eating disorder risk, with users exchanging approximately 10 messages daily with the AI system trained on evidence-based therapeutic practices. - Despite promising results, researchers caution against widespread deployment without proper oversight, emphasizing that most commercial AI therapy tools lack sufficient clinical validation and regulatory approval.