In the project “The impact of Deepfakes in virtual reality scenarios for mental health therapy” a prototype for a therapeutic intervention was developed that combines virtual reality with generative AI. The aim was to strengthen self-compassion in cases of psychological stress by engaging users in an immersive dialogue with a childlike version of themselves.
Based on a single childhood photo, an emotionally reactive avatar was created and tested in several user studies and co-design workshops with psychotherapists. The results show a high emotional response and a measurable increase in self-compassion. Two master’s theses were completed at the Department of Psychology at UZH and the initial results were presented at an international conference. Several scientific publications are currently in the process of being published.
The current focus is on further developing and validating the intervention. Funding in the 2nd Founder Call provides the opportunity to continue the technology as a service for counselling and psychotherapy.