Daniel Reid Cahn is the CEO of Slingshot AI (creators of the AI mental health assistant Ash). He explains how user behavior on AI platforms compares to traditional human therapy.
“Compared to a human it might take 10 conversations with your therapist before you tell them what you're actually there for, because you're like judging them. You're trying to figure things out. With Ash, people move way faster. That's been really fascinating. People just open up and just share very quickly.”
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More from Daniel Reid Cahn
Insight
Cahn: High mental health demand lets platforms profit with lower-qualified therapists
“And those are honestly amazing businesses because the demand is so absurdly high that no matter what, when you get more supply of therapists, even if it means that you're just paying therapists less and you're getting more therapists and you're getting less qu…”
Daniel Reid CahnJul 31, 2025▶ 20:20Health Tech Founders: The Future of Care Is Personalized, Proactive—and AI-Powered
Insight
Cahn: AI therapy must challenge users rather than validate them
“People don't like that. That's not what's helpful. That's not what builds a therapeutic alliance. What builds an alliance is being challenged. It's finding a new way to look at your problem.”
Daniel Reid CahnJul 31, 2025▶ 16:17Health Tech Founders: The Future of Care Is Personalized, Proactive—and AI-Powered
AssertionNot checkable as stated
Cahn: Ash AI users increase real-world human connections unlike ChatGPT users
“In a space of chat, like chatbots, like people who talk to ChatGPT about their mental health largely over time lose connections with other humans. Like they actually connect with people less than replace it. With Ash, we've shown now Over time, on average, peo…”
Daniel Reid CahnJul 31, 2025▶ 22:10Health Tech Founders: The Future of Care Is Personalized, Proactive—and AI-Powered
AssertionNot checkable as stated
Cahn: Therapists actively recommend Ash AI and use it themselves
“We have a huge number of therapists who refer their patients. I mean, we get so many people who use the app who say, I found this because my therapist recommended it. We have so many therapists that tell us they use it because they don't have someone good enou…”
Daniel Reid CahnJul 31, 2025▶ 24:58Health Tech Founders: The Future of Care Is Personalized, Proactive—and AI-Powered
Insight
Cahn: AI therapy must preserve patient autonomy over short-term problem solving
“It is often better. And this is really controversial for a therapist. You know, you go to your therapist and you're like, is my boyfriend toxic? And the therapist might actually have to say, or to realize internally, it is better that this person remain in thi…”
Daniel Reid CahnJul 31, 2025▶ 26:36Health Tech Founders: The Future of Care Is Personalized, Proactive—and AI-Powered
AssertionSupported
Cahn: 54% of individuals with mental illness receive no care
“54% of those with a mental illness, quote unquote, don't have any care whatsoever.”
Daniel Reid CahnJul 31, 2025▶ 0:12Health Tech Founders: The Future of Care Is Personalized, Proactive—and AI-Powered
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