Komal Vilas Thatkare states that she lacks someone to consult for her personal health inquiries.

A 32-year-old mother and homemaker from Mumbai stated that her household consists solely of men, with no female presence. She mentioned that she does not communicate with anyone in her home and has found an app to be helpful in addressing her personal issues.

The application she utilizes is driven by AI technology utilizing OpenAI’s ChatGPT model, which is being developed by the Myna Mahila Foundation, a grassroots women’s organization. Thatkare poses questions to the Myna Bolo chatbot and receives responses. Through these exchanges, Thatkare gained knowledge about a contraceptive pill and its proper usage.

Thatkare is among 80 individuals selected by the foundation to assist in training the chatbot. The chatbot utilizes a personalized medical database on sexual health, but its effectiveness relies heavily on the training provided by test users such as Thatkare.

The chatbot, currently in its trial phase, represents a potential impact of AI on global healthcare: providing precise medical information through personalized replies, reaching a larger audience than traditional clinics or trained medical professionals. In addition, the chatbot’s emphasis on reproductive health offers important information that may be challenging to obtain due to societal norms.

According to Suhani Jalota, the founder and CEO of the Myna Mahila Foundation, the potential of this chatbot to offer unbiased and confidential advice to women could have a significant impact on their ability to access information about sexual reproductive health. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation granted $100,000 to the organization last summer to develop the chatbot, along with other groups in low- and middle-income countries utilizing AI to address community issues.

Organizations such as the Gates Foundation, the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, and Data.org are aiming to support the development of a neglected sector in AI, particularly in fields such as healthcare and education. Through philanthropic efforts, these initiatives provide developers with access to AI resources that they may not be able to afford otherwise, allowing them to address issues that may not be prioritized by businesses or researchers due to their low profitability.

In an online post in October, Trevor Mundel, president for global health at the Gates Foundation, stated that it is no longer acceptable for the global north and high-income countries to solely dictate the priorities and issues addressed in local communities in the global south. He also emphasized the need to avoid further exacerbating inequality through the use of AI.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation provides financial assistance to the Associated Press for their news coverage in Africa.

The Myna Mahila Foundation enlisted Thatkare and other test users to provide authentic inquiries. Some examples include, “Does using a condom increase the risk of HIV?” or “Is it safe to engage in sexual activity during menstruation?” The foundation’s team carefully monitors the chatbot’s replies and creates a specialized collection of confirmed questions and answers, which aids in enhancing future responses.

According to Jalota, the chatbot is not yet prepared for a broader launch due to inadequate response accuracy and translation problems. Users frequently ask questions in multiple languages and may not provide sufficient information for the chatbot to generate a suitable response.

“We are still uncertain about women’s ability to fully comprehend all the information being presented and if it is completely medically accurate,” stated Jalota. They are contemplating providing training to some women to assist in asking prompts on behalf of others, but their ultimate goal is to enhance the chatbot so it can function independently.

Christopher Longhurst, MD, the top medical executive at UC San Diego Health, has overseen the integration of artificial intelligence technology in medical environments. He emphasized the significance of evaluating and analyzing the effects of these innovative tools on the well-being of patients.

Longhurst emphasized the need for testing rather than blindly assuming, trusting, or hoping for positive outcomes in regards to the use of AI in healthcare. While he believes that the potential of AI in the next few years may be exaggerated, he predicts that in the long term, over the span of a decade, AI will have a significant impact on healthcare, comparable to the introduction of penicillin.

Zameer Brey, the temporary deputy director for technology diffusion at the Gates Foundation, stated that Jalota’s team collaborated with other Gates-funded projects developing chatbots for healthcare environments in order to address common issues.

The Myna Mahila Foundation, in collaboration with another organization supported by the Gates Foundation, is putting forth a proposal to establish privacy regulations for managing data related to reproductive health. In addition to working with a third-party technology company to create the chatbot, the foundation is exploring additional measures to safeguard the confidentiality of its users.

Jalota shared that there has been a discussion on whether to delete messages sent by women within a specific time period to protect their privacy, as some women have to share their phones with family members.

___

Matt O’Brien, a technology writer for AP, contributed from Providence, Rhode Island.

___

The AP’s reporting on philanthropy and nonprofit organizations is made possible by their partnership with The Conversation US, supported by grants from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for the content of this coverage. To read more about the AP’s coverage of philanthropy, visit https://apnews.com/hub/philanthropy.

Source: wral.com