CBS 2: Cedars-Sinai Physician-Innovator Discusses Virtual Medicine
CBS 2 and the Los Angeles Times recently interviewed Cedars-Sinai experts about Xaia—an AI-powered, virtual conversational therapy app—amid a rise in venture funding for mental health and artificial intelligence companies and a nationwide shortage of mental health therapists.
Patients wear a virtual reality headset to access the app, which immerses them in a calming environment, where they speak with Xaia, an avatar designed using transcripts from real and mock sessions with mental health therapists.
Omer Liran, MD, a psychiatrist at Cedars-Sinai, told CBS 2 that Xaia is unique because it’s a scientifically validated model that provides useful feedback to the user.
Brennan Spiegel, MD, MSHS, director of Health Services Research at Cedars-Sinai, told the Los Angeles Times that roughly 300 Cedars-Sinai patients have used Xaia, which stands for eXtended-reality Artificially Intelligent Ally, in various studies. The patients had conditions such as chronic pain, alcohol use disorder and irritable bowel syndrome. He said coping with those conditions can cause anxiety or depression.
While some patients still prefer speaking with a human therapist, studies have shown that others are increasingly open to the idea of an AI-powered therapist. One Cedars-Sinai patient reported feeling more physically and emotionally at peace after a session with Xaia.
But Spiegel emphasized that Xaia is intended to serve as a convenient supplemental tool—not a replacement—for therapy.
“We still need therapists—humans—to look other humans in the eye to have conversations about vulnerable topics,” Spiegel told the Los Angeles Times.
Liran said the team behind Xaia is aware of the platform’s limitations, explaining that the app includes safeguards preventing the avatar chatbot from saying anything potentially harmful.
“We’re trying to be very careful,” Liran told the Los Angeles Times.
Watch the entire segment from CBS 2 and read the complete article from the Los Angeles Times.