Launch of WHO's Smart Avatar on Physical and Mental Health; 'Sara' is Proficient in Eight Languages

The World Health Organization has launched a digital avatar named 'Sara', a health promoter that provides empathetic responses, ahead of World Health Day, focusing on the slogan 'My Health, My Right'. 'Sara' (short for Smart Assistant Reinforced with Artificial Intelligence for Health) is a digital avatar that operates using new language models and advanced technology, capable of responding to users and providing guidance on various health topics 24 hours a day in eight languages. In response to a question from Voice of America about whether 'Sara' will be able to communicate in Persian, the WHO's public relations stated that since 'Sara' is supported by generative artificial intelligence, it could potentially speak any language supported by OpenAI. The public relations advisor added that as technology advances and user needs evolve, 'Sara' will continue to develop, and the WHO intends to explore adding new features or expanding the capabilities of this avatar to further enhance its effectiveness as a digital health promoter. 'Sara' is currently trained on topics such as healthy living habits and mental health to assist people in improving their health and well-being. 'Sara' helps individuals gain a better and deeper understanding of risk factors for deadly diseases, including cancer, heart disease, lung disease, and diabetes. It assists people in accessing up-to-date and useful information about quitting smoking, staying active, maintaining a healthy diet, and reducing stress. 'Sara' is capable of having dynamic personal conversations with users with greater accuracy and human-like interactions in a judgment-free environment. This digital avatar expressed disappointment in English regarding the barriers that exist in Iran for women's sports, acknowledging the cultural and social obstacles and challenges faced by women in Iran, and suggested joining groups of women with similar challenges or engaging in activities like yoga at home to maintain mental health. Tedros Adhanom, the WHO Director-General, stated in a statement that the vision for digital health consultation is bright, and supporting countries in utilizing digital technologies for health is a priority for the WHO. He urged the research community to participate in examining how this technology can reduce inequalities and help people access up-to-date and reliable health information. The WHO also unveiled 'Florence' at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which fought myths and misinformation about the virus, provided information about vaccines, and educated about the risks of tobacco use during the pandemic through pre-made responses. The WHO's public relations told Voice of America that since 'Sara' uses generative AI, it has the ability to provide advanced and extensive health information on various health-related topics, distinguishing it from 'Florence'. The public relations advisor stated, 'While Florence initially garnered global acclaim for its empathetic approach and acted as a vital source of accurate information in a timely manner during the pandemic, 'Sara' represents a leap forward in capabilities and advancements in artificial intelligence. While AI has great potential to enhance public health, significant ethical concerns such as equitable access, privacy, safety and accuracy, data protection, and bias also pose challenges for professionals in this field.