What was the first AI therapist?

The first AI therapist, though not truly AI by today’s standards, was ELIZA created in the 1960s by Joseph Weizenbaum at MIT. It was a simple chatbot that used scripted rules to mimic a Rogerian therapist, rephrasing users' statements into questions to keep the conversation going. ELIZA didn’t understand emotions or context; it simply followed patterns. But despite this, people still found themselves opening up to it. There are many AI therapy apps at the moment but it's hard to say which ones were the first as they all use similar models or other technology. 7 Cups has Noni, which is also an AI example of an active listener that can offer emotional support.