Planned Parenthood is now offering an AI-powered, sexual health chatbot designed to reach more young people who visit its website, the organization announced Thursday, Jan. 24.
The chatbot allows users to ask questions about their sexual and reproductive health and receive quick answers.
The “Roo” chatbot was created based on input from teenagers. Planned Parenthood also partnered with experts at Work & Co, a New York-based tech and design firm, to develop the AI-powered tool. The initiative is a part of an overall effort to provide personalized health information in a secure way.
“Brands and nonprofits have only scratched the surface of what AI can do,” Gene Liebel, Work & Co co-founder said in a statement. “Helping teens access trusted information—especially since so many young people aren’t getting the sexual health education they need—makes this a rare sort of digital product.”
The chatbot is aimed at helping users between 13 and 17 years of age, but can be used by anyone with questions about sexual or reproductive health. It is available 24/7, according to the organization.
“As a physician, I know the importance of meeting people where they are with the information and care they need. At Planned Parenthood, we want to make it as easy as possible to get everyone the education and healthcare they need, when they need it, no matter what method of communication works best for them,” Leana Wen, MD, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, said in a statement.
Danielle covers Clinical Innovation & Technology as a senior news writer for TriMed Media. Previously, she worked as a news reporter in northeast Missouri and earned a journalism degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She's also a huge fan of the Chicago Cubs, Bears and Bulls.