The rise of Intelligent Social Agents

How possible is it to have a trusted friend who is always a tap away, listens without judgment, and offers a helping hand? For millions of people struggling with loneliness across the world, what might seem like wishful thinking could become their reality. Thanks to a powerful ally - Artificial Intelligence (AI).

The emergence of AI has consistently pushed the boundaries in healthcare, impacting different parts of the value chain. The World Economic Forum (WEF) in a recent report stated that by 2030, the global healthcare AI market will be worth 188 billion USD, a testament to its continuous adoption and impact. In a separate survey by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health , it was reported that AI could improve healthcare outcomes by 40%, including mental health care.

Studies have shown that loneliness is an emerging epidemic increasing the risk of premature death by 15-30%, which is equivalent to smoking 10-15 cigarettes a day! This is where Generative AI, a branch of AI capable of creating realistic simulations, could be applicable.

One interesting and promising application of this lies in "intelligent social agents" - essentially AI-powered chatbots that learn from your experiences. These digital companions act as virtual confidantes, forming a bond that can provide much-needed support. A study reported that therapy chatbots significantly reduced depression (P value of <0.01), as measured by the PHQ-9, over 16 weeks, and slightly reduced anxiety (P value of 0.02) as measured by the GAD-7, in the first four weeks. In another study, it was reported that 30.8% of participants had a positive outcome in reducing social isolation and loneliness while interacting with AI chatbots

The functionality of AI-powered chatbots is driven by two core components; Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Machine Learning (ML) algorithms. With NLP in place, chatbots can interpret and understand human language, while ML algorithms enable them to adapt and improve their responses over time. As a result, these chatbots are not only capable of holding conversations but can create better, more personalized experiences. How then do they achieve this?

• Input processing: When a user types a message as input to the chatbot, NLP methods of tokenization, parsing, and intent recognition are used to process the text or speech. In this step, the input is split into words or tokens; the grammatical structure is analyzed; and the user’s intent is determined
• Context understanding: Chatbots use dialogue management and context tracking methods to keep track of conversation flow and to contextualize the user’s messages and responses. This enables the chatbot to answer consistently and to provide replies that are relevant to the particular conversation.
• Response generation and delivery: Depending on the purpose, the bot collects entities, gets into the contextual conversation, and then delivers the response. It may involve the retrieval of stock answers from a database. The generated response is then formatted and delivered back to the user through the appropriate channel (e.g., text or multimedia).
• Reinforcement learning: Over time and after various interactions, the chatbot will be able to collect the statistics. According to this user’s experience, the AI chatbot will reprogram and improve its replies the next time it learns.

Scientific studies have provided insights on the possibilities of AI chatbots mitigating the risk of loneliness citing:

• Access and affordability: Traditional therapy can be expensive and inaccessible. The study found that people from lower socio-economic backgrounds were more likely to use these AI-powered apps. These apps offer a lighter, more affordable form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), potentially making mental health support more accessible than ever. For instance, research by Fitzpatrick et al. describes Woebot, an AI chatbot, as a "feasible, engaging, and effective way to deliver CBT".
• Anonymity: Trust is crucial in healthcare, and anonymity can be a barrier. The research found a consistent theme across users – the desire for anonymity. A YouGov survey revealed that 28% of Britons find privacy and confidentiality appealing in AI chatbots offering mental health services, making them feel more comfortable sharing sensitive information. This highlights the importance of incorporating anonymity in mental health solutions, creating a safe space for open communication.
• Personalization: The research shows that personalization is key to user engagement. These AI solutions use quizzes, games, journaling, and past interactions to build your digital twin. This "twin" helps you understand your emotions, regulate them, and ultimately respond to life's challenges in a healthy way. A study by Oghenekaro and Okoro highlighted the chatbot's user engagement with nearly 80% of participants actively involved during a 2-week intervention. Qualitative data from the study revealed that users perceive a relationship with the chatbot, appreciate its human-like advice, and value its role as a self-reflection moderator, showcasing its ability to provide personalized interactions.

While still in their early stages, these solutions promise improved access, affordability, and personalized support which are critical steps towards achieving health equity. The future of healthcare might involve having a digital companion by your side, offering personalized support and helping you live a healthier, happier life.

The future of mental wellness could be a conversation away. Keep an eye on the exciting possibilities of AI in healthcare with us via: https://www.dhirubhai.net/posts/drnadeemahmed_mentalhealth-chatbots-artificialintelligence-activity-7209478529678282753-2Ral?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

Sources:

https://extension.unh.edu/blog/2022/05/prolonged-social-isolation-loneliness-are-equivalent-smoking-15-cigarettes-day

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2024/01/how-ai-can-transform-patient-care-and-treatment/#:~:text=Health

https://www.ibm.com/think/insights/ai-healthcare-benefits

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214782922000021#:~:text=The results showed that chatbots,in the first 4 weeks .

https://business.yougov.com/content/49481-uk-trials-ai-therapy

https://mental.jmir.org/2017/2/e19/

https://www.scirp.org/journal/paperinformation?paperid=133222

https://fastbots.ai/blog/unravelling-the-tech-behind-ai-chatbots-a-comprehensive-guide

https://verloop.io/blog/ai-chatbot/

Image source:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinessdevelopmentcouncil/2023/07/18/customer-support-using-ai-chatbots-for-efficiency-and-empathy/