High-school friends create AI companion for mental wellness

More than two decades after they met in high school in Jamaica and became friends, Rene Myrie and Francine Forbes have combined their professional knowledge to create Choobi, an artificial intelligence-powered mental wellness companion.

Myrie, now a software engineer, and Forbes, a psychiatric nurse practitioner, said the decision to develop the platform came from a realisation that while many individuals seek professional mental health support, others avoid it because of stigma and affordability. As a result, some hide their struggles until they reach a crisis point, sometimes with tragic consequences.

According to Myrie, Choobi was created “to give people a supportive space to reflect, process their thoughts, and build healthier emotional habits”.

“You might see people withdraw a bit. You are not hearing from them. They might delete their social media. And you are wondering what’s going on,” she told The Gleaner, explaining that stigma surrounding mental illness can prevent people from speaking up.

Cost is another barrier, with some therapy sessions costing as much as $13,000 and requiring multiple visits.

Myrie stressed that she is not a doctor and that Choobi is not intended to replace professional care. She said society also placed a heavy burden on individuals, particularly men, who are often discouraged from discussing their emotions. Sometimes, she noted, people do not need clinical intervention, but simply require support while working through difficult experiences, such as a break-up, school problems or other stressful situations.

“So, pretty much, what we came up with was to just have a tool that we can do all those things inside. So, it’s kind of like a wellness ecosystem,” Myrie explained.

Users can speak with an AI companion and choose one based on their personality and preferred communication style. Some companions are designed to be straightforward, while others are more empathetic, gentle, neutral or spiritual. Myrie repeatedly emphasised that Choobi is not a medical or psychiatric application.

“It doesn’t diagnose you. It’s not a psychiatric thing or a therapy application. It’s really just an ecosystem to help you with general wellness,” she said. “We can’t diagnose people. We are not clinicians.”

Forbes, a Jamaica-born psychiatric nurse practitioner based in the United States, said her professional role involves assessing, diagnosing and treating mental health concerns across the lifespan, with her focus primarily on adults age 18 and older.

A visit to Jamaica provided her with insight into the challenges facing the country’s mental health system and during a brief period working with the Ministry of Health and Wellness’ Mental Health Division, she visited clinics to observe the work of psychiatrists and mental health technicians.

“There’s not a lot of psychiatric nurse practitioners, but I got the opportunity to meet one,” Forbes said.

She also observed that many clients did not have the resources needed to access appropriate care. Conditions among patients ranged from anxiety and depression to bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

BRIDGING THE GAP

The experience prompted conversations between them about how they could help bridge the gap for people who were either unable or unwilling to access traditional mental health services.

“We wanted to be able to provide something to bridge this gap. So incorporating artificial intelligence was, you know, something everybody can use,” Forbes said, noting that most people have access to a cell phone or computer, whether their own or through a library or someone else.

That collaboration eventually led to Choobi, which the creators hope will serve users in Jamaica and internationally. Forbes said mental health challenges are widespread in the United States, including among African-American communities, and pointed to increasing concerns about suicidal ideation.

“We are seeing a rise in suicidality in that population as well,” she said, stressing the importance of safeguards because Choobi is not designed to replace a therapist or psychiatrist.

Forbes recalled being shocked by seeing approximately 60 psychiatric patients assigned to one psychiatrist at a hospital clinic, prompting her to question how the available resources could meet such demand.

CULTURAL ATTITUDES

Cultural attitudes also affect whether people seek professional help, and often, some African-American and Caribbean families encourage individuals to turn to religious leaders or traditional practices, including the ‘obeah man’, rather than medical professionals.

“You need to go see the priest, or you need to go see the pastor, you need to go to the obeah man to get a wash up. There’s so many things, such as family and cultural issues, that prevent persons seeking help. Persons are told they are strong enough, and ‘you got this’, we are here to help,” Forbes explained to The Gleaner, noting that family support and professional care serve different purposes.

Myrie said Choobi was designed to accommodate people who process and communicate differently. The platform is intended to adapt its communication style for neurodivergent users, including people on the autism spectrum who may prefer information to be presented differently.

Concerns about Jamaica’s suicide rates also influenced the development of Choobi, particularly concerns about men who may internalise their struggles because of social expectations around strength.

The platform also incorporates journalling, a practice often recommended by mental health professionals. Based on information provided by users, Choobi can encourage them to seek additional support and provide crisis resources.

“If somebody is in a crisis situation, it will tell you to contact the suicide line, and there is a whole list of different countries. So, depending on where you are, you will select the correct number,” Myrie said.

Choobi is currently available through iOS, while Android and Windows versions are expected to become available later in the year.

Access is free up to a certain point, but users who want extended conversations and send large numbers of messages will need a subscription. Individual plans cost US$4.99 per month, while schools and employers can obtain team access for approximately US$2.50 to US$2.99 per user.

The creators have also considered younger users. While Forbes said there is approval in the United States for use from age 10, Choobi currently has Apple approval for users age 13 and older. Parents who are concerned about whether their 13-year-old should use the platform can go through the process with them and make an informed assessment.

For Myrie and Forbes, Choobi is ultimately intended as an accessible wellness tool rather than a substitute for professional treatment. By combining technology with emotional support, they hope to encourage people to process their challenges earlier and seek professional intervention when it becomes necessary.

erica.virtue@gleanerjm.com