A human-AI texting service is attempting to fill the void in mental-health support for teens. “Sonny” is a part human, part AI chat service created by Sonar Mental Health, which incorporates real humans with backgrounds in psychology, social work, and crisis-line support to make sure that conversations with the AI remain safe and effective, unlike a fully driven AI tool. It recently launched its hybrid model to school districts with a lack of mental health support, mainly in low-income and rural areas. Data from The Wall Street Journal shows 17% of high schools lack a counselor, leaving many without resources—but Sonny is designed to bridge this gap with real-time support in schools. The AI suggests responses to students texts, but the humans behind it can still edit them or write their own, with Sonar monitoring 15 to 25 chats at a time. (WSJ)
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