AI Mental Health (Woebot / Wysa)

AI mental health chatbots Woebot and Wysa collectively reached 6 million users in 2025, delivering Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)-based interventions for anxiety and depression at a fraction of human therapist costs. NIH-funded studies showed users experienced a 22% reduction in PHQ-9 depression scores after just two weeks — a result comparable to short-term outcomes from human therapy for mild-to-moderate depression. This reduction outperforms #6 Recursion Pharmaceuticals' focus on drug discovery in terms of direct, immediate mental health impact per user. Additionally, a randomized controlled trial found Woebot users reported a 34% decrease in anxiety symptoms, surpassing the average 20-25% improvement seen with standard digital health apps, demonstrating its effectiveness as a scalable, accessible first-line support.