Talkspace Wants to Build a Better Therapist With AI Listening In

In the midst of the pandemic, more people are turning to online therapy to deal with anxiety, depression, and relationship strife. Talkspace, which hired gold medal Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps as a spokesman, says web traffic doubled in just three months.

The New York-based company is a pioneer in the online therapy business, which links patients with a licensed counselor by video chat and text, encouraging them to open up in the privacy of their own home.

While the details of most in-person sessions never leave the room, Talkspace says it’s trying something different to advance the field of ...