Can AI Really Be Your Therapist?

What the Research and Users Say

AI therapy isn’t going anywhere and Gen Z are already claiming it feels more effective than their actual therapist.

Startups are raising millions to train digital companions and the landscape is changing fast. But amid the boom, one question lingers: Is AI actually helping people feel better? Or just filling a gap?

At Breezi, we’ve watched the growth of AI mental health apps both with excitement and concern. What started as a wave of innovation has in some cases been reduced to poor execution and causing people to spend more time addicted to their phone. So we decided to build Breezi (which we’ll get into more later!).


The Rise of AI Therapy: Why Now?


A 2023 study found that 64.8% of sessions on AI-powered mental health platforms take place after traditional therapy hours – often late at night, when support is hard to access. That stat alone tells a story: people are craving instant, judgment-free support when it’s needed most.

Even clinical researchers are taking notice. Dartmouth’s trial of Therabot, a generative AI therapy chatbot, showed results “comparable to traditional therapy” in symptom improvement. As they put it:

“This suggests that AI-driven tools can be effective support options for those facing barriers to human therapy.”
Source: Dartmouth News, March 2025

At the same time, caution is growing. A recent Fortune article notes that while younger generations flock to AI chat for emotional support, experts warn about the lack of nuance, the potential for misinformation, and the psychological risks of treating chatbots like therapists.

Read full article on Fortune

AI therapy is not going away and it certainly is the future. This is why there is a huge need for useful and trustworthy AI support.


How does Talk to Breezi work as an AI therapist app?


At its core, Breezi is not a meditation app. It’s not a journaling tool. And it’s definitely not here to hook users with streaks and get people addicted.

It is designed with therapist input, can integrate with human therapy, and is able to generate custom action plans from all your past sessions. It even includes an AI therapy note taker for reviewing conversations and keeping you organised in between or during in-person therapy.

We built Breezi because we saw real gaps that no app was solving:

  • “What did I talk to my therapist about again?”
  • “I wish I had something that helped in the moment that really knows me, and I mean REALLY knows me”
  • “There are so many self help books, but what specific things can I do this week based on my life that can help me feel progress?”

We’ve heard these stories again and again. As one of our users, Han, a 31-year-old HR manager, put it:

“I like the idea of practical suggestions to change your mindset in the moment. Calm is great, but it’s not always practical to meditate. Sometimes I just want a quick reset.”

Breezi was designed for moments like these. You can speak to it at 2am, reflect on your day, or review what came up in therapy and always walk away with personalised, achievable steps called Active Intentions. Again, we are not here for the gamification and that’s why we don’t even name the “tasks”, tasks. They’re intentions.


A Day with AI Therapy


Imagine this:

Han wakes up feeling foggy. She’s got a major presentation tomorrow and already knows her mind will race with anxious thoughts as soon as she starts work. Instead of pushing it aside, she opens Breezi and types:

“I’m anxious about tomorrow. I’m scared I will have a panic attack.”

Breezi responds instantly. Not with vague positivity, but with advice Breezi knows has helped in the past or new advice that is tailored on Han’s trends during past therapy sessions. You see, Breezi remembers that incredible piece of advice Han’s therapist gave to her during one of her sessions about panic attacks. Together, they explore the fear and help Han feel better with clear Active Intentions to accept her feelings and take action on tactics that will make her feel better during the presentation.

In this case, Breezi might also detect patterns linked to social anxiety and surface tools specifically designed to support those moments of public stress and self-doubt.

The presentation goes well because Han stopped spiralling and spoke to Breezi instead. Han can report back to Breezi and pass on more personal details about how it went for when this occurs next time as well.


But What About Privacy, Bias, and Trust?


Let’s be honest, many people are still skeptical about AI therapy.

We’ve heard everything from:

  • “Where is my data going?”
  • “Are my conversations anonymous?”
  • “It feels robotic — how could it really get me?”

These concerns should be top priority for all apps.

Here’s how we address them aside from the standard protocols we are required to meet:

  • Data is not sold. This is highly important.
  • No therapy recordings stored: Audio is transcribed for summaries then deleted immediately.
  • Transparent AI training: Our AI is guided by CBT-style prompts and therapist-informed conversation structures. We heavily rely on our mental health advisors to make sure the quality of the conversations are high.
  • User-first privacy controls: You can delete your chat history permanently, anytime.

So, Should AI Therapy Replace Human Therapists?


AI therapy should never replace human therapists, but it can radically expand access and complement in-person care.

We’re not alone in this belief. Clinical researchers, Gen Z users, and mental health professionals alike are all calling for tools that are both ethical and effective. Breezi is proud to be in early discussions with university research groups and clinical trial partners.

And for investors watching this space? The question isn’t if AI therapy will grow, it’s which models will survive the scrutiny of real-world use.


Be Part of the Future of Therapy


We're currently onboarding our next round of early testers. If you're curious about AI therapy or passionate about building more ethical, human-centred tools – we’d love to have you.

👉 Sign up to join our early user research group →

Thank you!

Email founder becky@talktobreezi.com with any thoughts or questions.