We are on the cusp of a paradigm shift in treatment delivery for mental health. Immersive digital experiences (virtual reality; VR) and machine-generated dialogue (artificial intelligence; AI) promise an entirely novel set of therapeutic options for substance use disorder (SUD). The Covid-19 pandemic forced adoption of remote delivery and demonstrated a proof of concept for technology-assisted patient care. While encouraging, remote delivery was just the beginning of what is possible. Rapid recent advances in VR and AI will extend digital therapeutics into never-imagined realms. These technologies promise to deliver experiences that look and feel real, that increase the therapeutic alliance with digital assistants, offer superior empathetic interactions, and enhance accessibility for rural and low-income patients. While immersive and generative technologies offer incredible possibilities, they pose new hazards that must be carefully managed to protect patients. These potentially include psychological discomfort from visually realistic scenarios, unhealthy social connections with virtual therapists, digital escapism, and nihilistic AI interactions. We will discuss collaborative research on VR and AI SUD therapeutics being conducted at the Indiana University School of Medicine and the University of Oregon, and the future of merging these two powerful technologies.
Learning Objectives:
Participants will evaluate the current research on the effectiveness of virtual reality and artificial intelligence in treatment services.
Participants will examine what types of new therapeutics could be enabled by these technologies.
Participants will consider strategies to safely implement VR and AI into SUD treatment environments.
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