Chatbots for HIV Prevention and Care: a Narrative Review

Abstract

Purpose of Review To explore the intersection of chatbots and HIV prevention and care. Current applications of chatbots in HIV services, the challenges faced, recent advancements, and future research directions are presented and discussed. Recent Findings Chatbots facilitate sensitive discussions about HIV thereby promoting prevention and care strategies. Trustworthiness and accuracy of information were identified as primary factors influencing user engagement with chatbots. Additionally, the integration of AI-driven models that process and generate human-like text into chatbots poses both breakthroughs and challenges in terms of privacy, bias, resources, and ethical issues. Summary Chatbots in HIV prevention and care show potential; however, significant work remains in addressing associated ethical and practical concerns. The integration of large language models into chatbots is a promising future direction for their effective deployment in HIV services. Encouraging future research, collaboration among stakeholders, and bold innovative thinking will be pivotal in harnessing the full potential of chatbot interventions.

Ethical Considerations for Artificial Intelligence Applications for HIV

“…Once a similar HIV data ethics committee is established, it should work on constructing distinct governance frameworks customized to each type of AI application for HIV. For instance, when considering AIdriven chatbots designed to promote testing among people living with HIV (PLWH) and offer mental health counseling, the World Economic Forum (WEF) has proposed 10 ethical principles for AI-powered chatbots utilized in healthcare [38,39]. These principles can serve as a comprehensive framework for assessing the ethical integrity of such systems.…”