Meet Florence, WHO's AI-powered digital health worker

An artificial intelligence-powered digital health worker has been unveiled by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as its latest tool for disseminating reliable health information to the public. Originally developed by New Zealand tech company Soul Machines, with support of the Qatar Ministry of Health, the first version of the virtual health worker was used to combat misinformation about the pandemic. The new version – dubbed Florence 2.0 – covers a broader range of topics. Along with advice on COVID-19 vaccines and treatments, it can also share advice on mental health, give tips to de-stress, provide guidance on how to eat healthily and be more active, and quit tobacco and e-cigarettes, according to the WHO. The chatbot can currently converse in English, with Arabic, French, Spanish, Chinese, Hindi, and Russian to follow.