Russian University Develops AI Chatbot to Ease Student Stress

A new neural network-powered chatbot, StressLessBuddy, will launch on Telegram in October 2025 to support students' mental health.

Sechenov University in Russia has developed a chatbot to help students manage stress. The project was created in collaboration with the Serbsky National Medical Research Center for Psychiatry and Narcology and Kalashnikov Izhevsk State Technical University. The tool, named StressLessBuddy, will become available to Telegram users starting in October 2025, according to RR.

The chatbot is designed to identify and alleviate symptoms of stress and anxiety using methods rooted in autogenic training techniques.

The initiative was led by Professor Leonid Syrkin of Sechenov University’s Department of Pedagogy and Medical Psychology, alongside third-year student Rada Malovichko. Medical consultant Dr. Ivan Rozanov, a PhD in Medicine, also contributed to the project.

Upon launching the chatbot, users will complete seven questions from the DASS-21 psychological test. Based on the answers, the app will evaluate stress levels and recommend one of six guided autogenic training sessions.

A pilot study with 48 students showed promising results: participants experienced a 10% reduction in stress and anxiety levels after a single session with the bot.

While the chatbot can benefit a wide audience, its primary target is students experiencing moderate anxiety who may not require professional clinical intervention.