Cairo-based mental health platform Shezlong has launched the Middle East and Africa’s first AI-powered therapy assistant, a move poised to reshape how mental healthcare is delivered across the region. The new technology, developed in-house by Shezlong’s R&D team, aims to augment traditional therapy with intelligent tools that enhance patient care and therapist performance. This milestone reinforces Shezlong’s pioneering status in digital mental wellness, following its track record as the region’s first platform to offer online therapy.
Blending Human Insight with Artificial Intelligence
According to Professor Mohamed Elsheikh, Shezlong’s Chief Medical Officer, the AI assistant is designed not to replace therapists but to enhance their capabilities. “We believe the human element is at the core of the therapeutic journey for our clients,” he stated, describing the assistant as a tool that grants therapists “superpowers.” In early clinical trials using real patients, the technology delivered actionable insights and improved care outcomes, signaling its potential to transform therapeutic experiences.
Therapist-First Design with Clinical Impact
The AI system supports practitioners by generating personalized reports, analyzing emotional patterns, and tracking patient progress over time. These advanced analytics aim to strengthen therapeutic relationships by providing therapists with deeper, data-driven understanding of their clients. The results from initial pilot implementations confirm the AI’s ability to improve accuracy and structure in mental health treatment.
Empowering Patients Beyond the Therapy Room
For users, the AI assistant acts as a companion between therapy sessions, offering adaptive cognitive exercises, emotional check-ins, and personalized self-care recommendations. By tailoring support to each patient’s evolving mental state, the system helps increase engagement and encourages proactive participation in their healing journey. This functionality is particularly valuable in maintaining continuity of care, especially for patients with limited access to in-person sessions.
Smarter Matching for Better Outcomes
One standout feature of the assistant is its smart therapist-patient matching system, which uses emotional and cognitive inputs to pair users with therapists who best meet their needs. This is expected to improve therapeutic compatibility and accelerate patient progress. According to Aly Zeineldin, Shezlong’s Chief Product Officer, integration into live sessions is already underway with strict privacy protocols in place.
On the Road to Scale and Funding
Encouraged by the success of early trials, Shezlong is currently in advanced talks with several prominent venture capital firms to secure funding for scaling the AI assistant. The upcoming round will be dedicated to expanding the platform’s reach and refining the technology for mass adoption. This capital injection would allow Shezlong to bring AI-powered therapy to millions across the region, making mental health support more intelligent and inclusive.
Grounded in Ethics and Privacy
While pushing technological boundaries, Shezlong remains committed to ethical standards and regulatory compliance. The AI platform is designed with a privacy-first approach and adheres to HIPAA regulations, ensuring user data remains protected at every step. Transparency, consent, and security have been embedded into the assistant’s framework from inception.
Looking Ahead: Commercial Rollout and Research Recognition
Shezlong is now preparing for the commercial launch of the AI assistant, with plans to make it accessible to all users on the platform in the near future. Additionally, a clinical research paper detailing the assistant’s outcomes is being finalized for submission to a leading scientific journal. This academic validation could further establish the platform’s credibility and effectiveness in mental health innovation.
CEO Mohamed Alaa Eldeen emphasized Shezlong’s long-term vision of democratizing access to mental health services through technology. “I believe in a world where no one is held back by mental illness,” he said, expressing hope that AI can help remove geographical and financial barriers to care. With this latest innovation, Shezlong continues to raise the bar in digital wellness, combining technological advancement with deeply human care.
Source: Wamda