DiscoverLife with MachinesThe Mental Health System Is Failing—Can AI Do Better? | Alison Darcy (Ep. 18)
The Mental Health System Is Failing—Can AI Do Better? | Alison Darcy (Ep. 18)

The Mental Health System Is Failing—Can AI Do Better? | Alison Darcy (Ep. 18)

Update: 2025-04-29
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In this episode of Life With Machines, Baratunde sits down with psychologist and entrepreneur Alison Darcy, who left academia to build a mental health chatbot that actually gets you. They break down why our mental health system is failing, how a talking robot might succeed where traditional therapy falls short, and what millions of late-night conversations with Woebot reveal about loneliness, generational struggles, and a healthcare system that’s resistant to change. Plus, BLAIR, the show’s AI co-producer, jumps in with a tough question about whether AI will be used to cut corners rather than care for people. Watch now for a conversation that's raw, urgent, and unexpectedly full of hope.


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Created and Executive Produced by: Elizabeth Stewart and Baratunde Thurston


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#MentalHealth #AItherapy #FutureOfTherapy #MentalHealthCrisis #Chatbots #HealingWithAI #TechForGood #MentalHealthAwareness #AIinHealthcare #LifeWithMachines

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The Mental Health System Is Failing—Can AI Do Better? | Alison Darcy (Ep. 18)

The Mental Health System Is Failing—Can AI Do Better? | Alison Darcy (Ep. 18)

Baratunde Thurston