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Jose Hamilton
CEO, Founder at Youper
Highlights
There's no denying that AI is advancing faster than most of us would have imagined. How can we harness all its capabilities to address the most pressing health issue our society faces - a mental health crisis that's gradually undermining our youth and the future of our nation?
An excerpt from my interview with The New Statesman:
“The field of mental health care, of psychology, psychiatry and therapy, is failing patients,” he said. The traditional model of offering care was beset by barriers, the biggest of which were stigma – “no one wants to admit they have an issue” – and cost.
Even where treatment is free at the point of delivery, it is very hard to get an appointment: there are not enough therapists. If you are lucky enough to find one – and Hamilton recommends a practitioner who offers CBT, “the gold standard of mental health care” – most people drop out before completing the course. “It’s a lot of hassle and commitment. You need to invest time and mental energy. It wasn’t made to fit our lives.”
Hamilton’s solution is “microtherapy” sessions. “Quick conversations whenever you need it. No need for a one-hour session, and no need to wait. Those small chats compound to reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety.” Youper, he said, is designed for the modern attention span and our desire to multitask. “I can talk to Youper on the subway, in the supermarket. This is the way to have engagement, and compete with TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat.”
Youper users answer screening questions for issues including depression, anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Hamilton said the AI is programmed with “hundreds” of therapies aside from CBT, and will then deliver the most effective one.
Youper is backed by Goodwater Capital, one of the largest funds in the Bay Area, and the app now has 2.5 million users. “When you’re backed by investors, there’s always this pressure to grow, but safety and science must come before growth and profits,” Hamilton said, adding that he works closely with his chief technology officer to ensure the algorithm is designed with best clinical practice in mind. “If your focus is just on AI, you’ve been missing 90 per cent of the challenge.” This, he suggested, may be why other AI chatbots have given such poor advice. “This is 90 per cent mental health care and 10 per cent AI. ”
Hamilton told me he had been astonished by some of his chatbot’s insights. “The conversations I’ve had with Youper have been mind-blowing – helping me understand things I wasn’t able to by myself. It would be hard for a therapist to get to that level.” But, like Tekin, he believed it would not replace human therapy: “Ultimately, this will be part of the toolkit.” The app will have a better memory and library of techniques, he said; but a therapist will be more skilled at crafting a successful therapeutic relationship.
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Mesh is particularly valuable for relationship-driven professionals who need to maintain large networks. The app is popular among many industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. Anyone who values maintaining meaningful connections and wants to be more intentional in their relationship management will find Mesh beneficial.
Mesh offers competitive pricing in the personal CRM market. Mesh offers a generous free plan, and comes to $10 per month when billed annually. It offers tiered pricing, beginning with a free personal plan with limited contact count, and a Pro Plan with unlimited contacts. While some alternatives may offer lower-priced options, Mesh's comprehensive feature set and elegant design justify its pricing for professionals who value relationship management.
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