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    Mental Health Tech (2026)

    Updated October 21, 2026

    Key takeaway

    There is no agreed ranking of mental health tech voices. John Torous leads the lists of ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini and Google AI Mode in the measured answers, and Thomas Insel is named by ChatGPT, Gemini and Google AI Mode. Where the engines overlap they point to researchers and former public health leaders in digital mental health, such as Thomas Insel, former director of the NIMH.

    Mostly agree

    Thomas Insel is a leading voice in digital mental health

    Where they differ

    Researchers or social media therapists

      Industry founders

        Verdict

        Three of four engines, ChatGPT, Gemini and Google AI Mode, back Thomas Insel at or near the top, and Copilot alone dissents with therapists and social media figures led by Julie Smith.

        Top ranked

        John Torous ranks first with 11 mentions in 26 answers, ahead of Eric Topol and Thomas Insel.

        Thomas Insel
        50.00%18
        Julie Smith
        50.00%18
        John Torous
        40.00%20
        Nicole LePera
        40.00%15
        Patrick Kennedy
        40.00%14
        Solome Tibebu
        40.00%15
        Jay Shetty
        30.00%28
        Brené Brown
        30.00%36
        Susan David
        30.00%14
        Kanu Batra
        30.00%12

        How we rank

        This page is built from 39 answers by 5 AI engines. Tools are ordered by how often and how high the engines name them.

        Where each AI engine placed them

        ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini and Google AI Mode each place John Torous first.

        NameGemini logoCopilot logo
        Thomas Insel111--
        Julie Smith-23-1
        John Torous1--1-
        Nicole LePera--2-3
        Patrick Kennedy34--5
        Solome Tibebu81-9-
        Jay Shetty-35-2
        Brené Brown-44-4
        Susan David-56-3
        Kanu Batra---88

        Related questions

        What engines actually searched

        The sub-queries each engine actually searched before answering.

        Cited, but not mentioned

        14 sites cite this answer without naming anyone

        Full responses

        5 of 5 engines that answered. Full stored text as captured, with dashes shown as hyphens. Nothing is summarised.

        ChatGPT163 characters · October 10, 2026

        1. John Torous

        2. Thomas Insel

        3. Patrick Kennedy

        4. Tom Oxley

        5. Aaron K. Saxon

        6. April Koh

        7. Megan Jones Bell

        8. Solome Tibebu

        9. Justin Baker

        10. Halle Tecco

        Gemini logo Gemini1,676 characters · October 10, 2026
        Google AI Mode365 characters · October 10, 2026
        1. Eric Topol
        2. Tracy Dennis-Tiwary
        3. Nicole LePera
        4. Julie Smith
        5. Alyssa Petersel
        6. Joy Harden Bradford
        7. Gillian Strudwick
        8. Daniel Siegel
        9. Kojo Sarfo
        10. Nadia Addesi

        Would you like me to include brief descriptions of their specific contributions or platforms in mental health technology and digital advocacy?

        Perplexity158 characters · October 21, 2026
        1. John Torous
        2. Steven Chan
        3. Julie Holland
        4. Nita Farahany
        5. Nina Vasan
        6. David Mohr
        7. Sabine Wilhelm
        8. Kanu Batra
        9. Solome Tibebu
        10. Maria Blekher
        Copilot logo Copilot4,197 characters · October 10, 2026

        Here are the top 10 most influential individual voices in mental health technology right now, ranked from most to least influential:

        1. Nedra Glover Tawwab

        2. Dr. Julie Smith

        3. Dr. Nicole LePera

        4. Alyson Friedensohn

        5. Patrick J. Kennedy

        6. Matthias J. Barker

        7. Jeff Guenther

        8. Sara Kuburic

        9. Kojo Sarfo

        10. Diego Perez (Yung Pueblo)

        Why These 10 Are Ranked

        Key Takeaways

        • Balance of clinical credibility and digital reach: The most influential voices are those who combine professional expertise with massive online presence.

        • Enterprise innovation matters: Leaders like Alyson Friedensohn show how tech platforms are reshaping access to care.

        • Policy and advocacy remain critical: Patrick Kennedy demonstrates that influence in mental health tech isn’t just about apps - it’s also about legislation and systemic change.

        Would you like me to also create a comparison table showing each person’s primary platform (social media, enterprise tech, policy, or publishing) and their main audience? That way you can see how their influence differs in scope and style.

        Your question will include this prompt's context: Who are the most influential voices in Mental health tech?