THERAPY AI: This Founder Left Big Tech to Fix Mental Health With AI - Will It Work?

AI can make therapy more accessible—but only if it's done right. In this episode, ex-Google and Amazon product leader Seth shares his journey from panic attacks to building Volo Health, an AI-powered tool for anxiety, depression, and addiction. He breaks down how most therapy tools get it wrong, what makes human-centered AI actually safe, and how product teams can reconnect with the humans they serve—even at scale.

Seth opens up about leaving Silicon Valley, his personal journey with emotional healing, and the limits of traditional therapy. Along the way, we explore the ethics of AI in mental health, the value of 12-step recovery models, and the risks of over-validating users with AI.

If you're a founder, product lead, or designer thinking about building in healthcare, mental wellness, or with generative AI—this conversation is a must.

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In this episode...
Why AI validation isn't always helpful—and can sometimes be harmful

How Volo Health uses opinionated AI, clinical oversight, and anonymized data to personalize support

The difference between optimizing for scale vs. building for emotional impact

What Seth learned from working at Amazon, Google, and in recovery circles

How founders can build teams and products that don’t lose sight of the human

Mentioned in this episode...
Volo Health
LangChain / LangGraph
ChatGPT / GPT-based therapy models
988 Crisis Line
SVS Subwoofers (yes, really)

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