AI Counseling Platform MindBridge Surpasses 80 Million Users: Democratization of Professional Counseling or Replacement?

AI counseling platform MindBridge announced on February 25 that its global user base has surpassed 80 million, with 32 million monthly active users. The platform offers text and voice counseling based on large language models at a subscription price of $9.9 per month — less than one-tenth the cost of a single traditional counseling session.

MindBridge's growth has been particularly strong in developing countries. In India, Brazil, and Indonesia, user counts doubled in the past six months. The platform supports 42 languages and adjusts counseling styles for different cultural backgrounds.

The American Psychological Association (APA) expressed concern about MindBridge's rapid growth. The APA president stated: "AI can provide emotional support, but it cannot replace professional diagnosis and treatment. For conditions requiring clinical intervention such as depression and anxiety, AI counseling may delay patients from seeking professional help."

MindBridge responded that the platform has a built-in risk assessment system that automatically refers users to live crisis intervention hotlines when self-harm or suicidal tendencies are detected. The company has made over 120,000 such referrals in the past year.