A new AI therapy startup says it has built a chatbot that is dramatically safer for mental health conversations than mainstream models. The Path reports its AI scored 95 out of 100 on the Vera-MH safety benchmark. That top score compares with a high of 65 for widely used chatbots like ChatGPT and Character.ai.

How The Path measures up

Vera-MH is a specialized benchmark designed to evaluate how well AI handles sensitive mental health interactions. It tests for harmful advice, crisis response failures and inappropriate disclosures. The Path's 95 rating suggests its model avoids many pitfalls that plague general-purpose chatbots.

The company was co-founded by Tony Robbins, the motivational speaker and author, along with former executives from the meditation app Calm. The team includes AI safety researchers with backgrounds in clinical psychology. They argue that existing consumer chatbots are not designed for therapy and can cause real harm.

Why This Matters

Millions of people already turn to AI chatbots for emotional support. Studies show users often confide personal struggles to chatbots, even when the chatbots are not designed for therapy. A poorly designed response can worsen anxiety, reinforce harmful behaviors or miss signs of a crisis. The Path aims to offer a safer alternative, but its claims have not been independently verified. If validated, the benchmark result could shift expectations for how AI companies approach mental health safety.

The startup is not alone in this space. Companies like Woebot and Youper already offer therapeutic AI tools with clinical oversight. However, those services typically operate under medical guidelines and are not built on large language model technology. The Path uses a fine-tuned large language model with additional safety layers trained on therapy transcripts and suicide prevention protocols. The company says it will publish more details about its evaluation methodology in the coming months.

Founding team and funding

Tony Robbins brings name recognition and a built-in audience from his personal development empire. The Calm alumni contribute experience in building consumer health apps at scale. The Path has raised $17 million in seed funding from investors including Foundation Capital and Day One Ventures. The company plans to launch a free tier later this year, with a subscription option for deeper sessions.

Critics caution that no AI can replace a licensed therapist. Safety benchmarks measure only controlled scenarios, not real world conversations. The Path acknowledges these limitations and says its tool is meant for support, not diagnosis or treatment. The startup will need to demonstrate continued safety as usage grows and users test its boundaries.

The Vera-MH benchmark result puts The Path in a strong position for credibility, but the company must prove it can maintain that safety at scale. If successful, it could set a new standard for AI driven mental health support. If it fails, the consequences could be severe for both the company and its users.