Love it or hate it, artificial intelligence (AI) is here to stay, and a new AI chatbot from healthcare company Healthvana is set to start educating people about basic questions about HIV, STIs, and PrEP.
As we move toward a goal of eliminating all new HIV infections by 2030, this new technology is aimed at supporting the often marginalized minority groups that are disproportionately affected by the virus, such as Black gay men having a 50% higher chance of contracting it over their white counterparts, and nearly one in four Hispanic gay men being at risk as well.
More often than not, information remains the best tool in the prevention of HIV. Sometimes, clear communication allows the message to come across with all the important facts that a patient needs to know.
With the AI chatbot from Healthvana, users can choose between an AI Care Navigator, the much more casual and fun Drag Queen agent for 24/7 answers, or a standard human who is only available during business hours.
Founded by Ramon Bastani, Healthvana is also part of the U.S. Business Action to End HIV and works with the Biden Administration’s HIV task force to include big-name pharmacies and drug makers to help advance the chatbot.
“We’ve been doing this work for the largest technology company in the US, working toward ending HIV, and we have over half a million patients who have used us within their sexual health,” Bastani told ABC News when presenting his findings to the White House. “We think there are ways to make it a little more lighthearted [such as the Drag Queen] to reduce some of the stigma that comes along with HIV.”
As of now, a patient portal is available across 20 states and the AI chatbot can be translated into nearly 80 languages to help maintain that clear and concise communication with those who are curious about their sexual health.
It’s important to note those states, since the Healthvana platform, while useful, is not currently open to everyone. Check out the website for more information or to see if it’s available in your state, and if it’s not, check out the U.S. government’s HIV portal at www.hiv.gov.
Scroll through to see some of the questions that this drag queen AI chatbot can answer about HIV and STIs.
YouTube (@healthvana)
YouTube (@healthvana)
YouTube (@healthvana)
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