How a Toronto-made AI therapist could bridge the gap in Canada’s mental health-care system – CTV
March 12, 2023
When Entisar Bukair needs a moment for self-care and to destress, she opens up the Mind-Easy app on her phone.
There, the London, Ont. lawyer is greeted by her friendly, artificial intelligence (AI) avatar, who leads her through breathing exercises and listens while she vents about her busy day.
The avatar, named Olivia, speaks back to Bukair in Arabic — a feature of the app that allows users to select different languages for interactions.
A friend suggested the app to Bukair last November as she was looking for an easy and regular way to take care of her mental health. As a practising lawyer, she said being mindful of her own well-being is important when taking on other people’s emotions.
“It feels super personalized and the avatars that are showing up, they look like me,” Bukair told CTVNews.ca in an interview.
