Summary
The World Health Organization is wading into the world of AI to provide basic health information through a human-like avatar. SARAH, short for Smart AI Resource Assistant for Health, is a virtual health worker that’s available to talk 24/7 in eight languages to explain topics like mental health, tobacco use and healthy eating. SARAH doesn’t have a diagnostic feature like WebMD or Google. The bot is programmed to not talk about anything outside of the WHO’s purview. So SARAH often sends people to a WHO website or says that users should “consult with your health-care provider” When asked whether the Alzheimer’s drug Lecanemab has been approved, SARAH said it was still in clinical trials when in fact it was approved for early disease treatment in January 2023. Even the WHO’�s own data can trip SARAH up. Each visit is anonymous, but users can elect to share their questions with WHO in a survey. Some people accessing SARAH through Wi-Fi are vulnerable to malware attacks or video camera hacking. SARAH is a continuation of a 2021 WHO virtual health worker project called Florence that provided basic information on Covid-19 and tobacco. Soul Machines Ltd. built the avatars for both projects. “My purpose is to assist you in living a healthy lifestyle,” says author.