Special Seminar - Ananya Bhattarcharjee, "Adaptive Narrative Interventions for Supporting Wellbeing"

Abstract: 
How can we design adaptive interventions that respond to the situational factors shaping people’s health and wellbeing—for example, a young parent managing depression symptoms while juggling childcare and work, or a student dealing with stress and procrastination during a demanding academic term?

In this talk, I will discuss how human-AI interaction and collaboration can help individuals make sense of their experiences through meaningful narratives and receive personalized support that adapts to their changing responsibilities and social contexts. I will share insights from fieldwork across North America, Europe, and South Asia, along with adaptive systems I have developed using generative AI and reinforcement learning.

The talk will draw on three projects: (1) the deployment of an AI-driven text messaging platform to support young adults in managing symptoms of depression and anxiety, (2) the development of a human-AI conversational tool that helps individuals reframe workplace stress, and (3) an investigation into a suicide prevention helpline to better understand the situational and sociocultural factors influencing wellbeing.

I will conclude by outlining a vision for adaptive systems that transcend individual support and enable interventions at interpersonal, community, and societal levels.

Bio:
Ananya Bhattacharjee is a PhD candidate in Computer Science at the University of Toronto. His research focuses on designing interactive, AI-driven interventions that can dynamically adapt to complex individual and social challenges. He contributed to the development of the Small Steps SMS program, a two-month intervention that has helped over 10,000 users in North America manage anxiety and depression symptoms. His research has informed the integration of personality traits into Microsoft Copilot and has influenced policy changes at two major helplines in the USA and Bangladesh. Ananya’s work bridges Human-Computer Interaction, AI, psychology, and social science, with publications in top venues such as CHI, CSCW, TOCHI, HCOMP, and JMIR. His research has been recognized with one Best Paper Award and two Honorable Mentions at CHI.