When the founders of Mental, an app for men’s mental health, noticed a feature called AI interactive audio was resonating with users, they saw potential. This led to the creation of The Path – co-founded by Tony Robbins and Anson Whitmer, former Calm employee.

The Path has secured $14.3 million from Prime Movers Lab, featuring a roster of influential co-founders including Apolo Anton Ohno, Deontay Wilder and the Designer Fund. With Tony Robbins’ input, The Path evolved into an app blending therapy with coaching techniques borrowed from his self-improvement methods.

Anson Whitmer’s journey began tragically – inspired by personal loss of a cousin and uncle to suicide, he pursued a PhD in psychology before working at Calm. He felt the need for more personalized care was unmet, prompting the creation of The Path. Its unique AI model has a 95 score on Vera-MH safety benchmark, ensuring users receive challenging yet constructive guidance.

Despite the growing use of chatbots like ChatGPT for mental health queries, concerns arise over these tools being “optimized for engagement.” The Path aims to offer deeper understanding and personalization. As it stands now, the app is free with plans to charge $40 per month once it gains more users.