Virtual therapist Xaia delivers immersive mental health support on Apple Vision Pro

By donning an Apple Vision Pro headset, people seeking mental health support can now access a virtual therapist whose mind will never wander and who remembers everything said during a session. Developed at Cedars-Sinai's extended-reality lab, humanoid robot Xaia offers personalized care using proven psychotherapeutic techniques like cognitive behavioral therapy, supportive talk therapy and motivational interviewing.

Xaia stands for eXtended reality Artificially Intelligent Ally; the platform uses AI to analyze current conversations and synthesize information from past sessions to generate helpful responses. Fostering a sense of empathy and connection, Xaia makes eye contact and can produce a wide array of true-to-life facial expressions. While she isn't meant to be a substitute for human therapists, issues within Xaia's scope include such topics as divorce, lay-offs, interpersonal problems and mild depression and anxiety. 

For an additional layer of engagement, sessions aren't conducted in an office-like setting. Instead, the platform leverages Apple Vision Pro's next-level resolution and spatial computing to create highly detailed biophilic VR environments that augment a patient's emotional state. A therapy session might be offered in a lush forest, while an AI-tailored meditation could transport the user to a beach at dawn.

The technology has been exclusively licensed to VRx Health, and Xaia is available on the App Store worldwide, with therapy offered through paid subscriptions.