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Can AI do it yet? · Health

Can AI be my therapist yet?

One in ten to one in six US adults already turn to AI for mental health support; the two randomized trials we checked were run by people tied to the chatbots and found falling depression symptoms, and Illinois has banned AI from providing therapy.

  • 4 of 6Tested with real people
  • 5pieces of evidence
The answer

Stage 4: tested with real people.

The rule that placed itA randomized trial or field study has tested it with real people doing the task.

The evidenceIn a three-week pilot trial, a therapy chatbot and ChatGPT both lowered depression scores compared with no chatbot, but the therapy chatbot did no better than ChatGPT. The lead author worked for the app's maker. JMIR Mental Health, Apr 22, 2026.

A stage says how far the evidence has got. It is not a rating of the AI and not advice.

  1. 1
    ClaimedNo evidence yet
  2. 2
    LaunchedNo evidence yet
  3. 3
    Independently testedNo evidence yet
  4. 4
    Tested with real peoplePlaced here
  5. 5
    Regulator-clearedNo evidence yet
  6. 6
    Widely used with a verified recordEvidence found
The evidence

Everything we found.

In ladder order, newest first within each kind. Makers' own claims are labeled as theirs.

Real people

Tested with real people

  • Randomized trial, 147 adults randomized, Czech Republic · run with the maker

    In a three-week pilot trial, a therapy chatbot and ChatGPT both lowered depression scores compared with no chatbot, but the therapy chatbot did no better than ChatGPT. The lead author worked for the app's maker.

    “The AI therapy group did not significantly outperform the ChatGPT group on any outcomes.”

    JMIR Mental Health · Apr 22, 2026

  • Randomized trial, 210 adults (106 Therabot, 104 control) · run with the maker

    In a randomized trial run by the Dartmouth team that built it, people with depression who used the Therabot chatbot had a 51% average drop in symptoms.

    “experienced a 51% average reduction in symptoms”

    Dartmouth · NEJM AI · Mar 27, 2025

Regulator

Rules and approvals

  • US · Ban · State of Illinois (law administered by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation)

    Illinois banned the use of AI to provide mental health and therapeutic decision-making, while still allowing AI for administrative and supplementary support.

    “The Wellness and Oversight for Psychological Resources Act prohibits anyone from using AI”

    Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation · Aug 4, 2025

Survey

How many people use it

Not found in our sources yet: what the makers claim; what has launched; what independent tests found.

Beside the stage

Track record and tools.

Failures and court cases are shown beside the stage, never folded into it. Tools are listed because the evidence names them, in no order of merit.

Tools named in the evidence
  • TherabotDartmouth College researchers
  • ChatMindChatMind's owner (not named in source)
  • ChatGPTOpenAI
Related tasks

Can AI do these yet?

See every task

Answer my health questions

Stage 4 of 6Tested with real people

Randomized trial: chatbot users made no better health decisions

Spot breast cancer on a mammogram

Stage 5 of 6Regulator-cleared

Transpara has been FDA-cleared since 2018, most recently in Aug 2026

Check a mole for skin cancer

Stage 5 of 6Regulator-cleared

EU Class III CE mark lets DERM clear benign cases alone (company)