From Science To Business: Building AI Companions For Human Well-Being

From the Lam-Larsen Initiative for Emerging Technologies Expert Talk Series

Dr. Xuan Zhao is the CEO and Co-Founder of Flourish Science, a public benefit startup focused on leveraging AI for mental health and human flourishing. She is also a Behavioral Scientist at Stanford University. Her research primarily centers on the psychology of social connection, well-being, and human-robot interaction. Xuan has a PhD in Psychology from Brown University and a post-doc from University of Chicago. Her publications has been featured in top academic journals and media outlets such as The New York Times, Harvard Business Review, BBC, TIME Magazine, and NPR Science Friday.

In her talk, Dr. Zhao will share her story of developing Flourish, a Science-based AI coach for emotional wellness and personal growth.