Artificial Intelligence-Based Chatbots to Combat COVID-19 Pandemic: A Scoping Review

Author:

Mahdavi AbdollahORCID,Amanzadeh MasoudORCID,Hamedan Mahnaz,Naemi Roya

Abstract

Context: Artificial intelligence (AI) Chatbots are computer programs that simulate human conversation and use artificial intelligence, including machine learning and natural language processing, to interact with users via natural language. With the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of digital health technologies such as chatbots has accelerated. Objectives: This study aims to investigate the application of AI chatbots in combating the COVID-19 pandemic and explore their features. Methods: We reviewed the literature on health chatbots during the COVID-19 pandemic. PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar were searched using relevant keywords such as “chatbot”, “conversational agent,” and “artificial intelligence”. To select the relevant articles, we conducted title, abstract, and full-text screening based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Chatbots, their applications, and design features were extracted from the selected articles. Results: Out of 673 articles initially identified, 17 articles were eligible for inclusion. We categorized the selected AI chatbots based on their roles, applications, and design characteristics. Around 70% of chatbots were designed to play a preventive role. Our review identified 8 key applications of the AI chatbots during the COVID-19 pandemic, which include (1) information dissemination and education, (2) self-assessment and screening, (3) connecting to health centers, (4) combating misinformation and fake news, (5) patient tracking and service delivery (6) mental health (7) monitoring exposure (8) vaccine information and scheduling. AI chatbots were deployed on various platforms, including mobile apps, web, and social media. Mobile-based chatbots were the most frequent. All chatbots used Natural Language Understanding (NLU) methods to understand natural language input and act on the user’s request. More than 50% of AI chatbots used NLU platforms, including Google Dialogflow, Rasa framework, and IBM Watson. Conclusions: AI chatbots can play an effective role in combating the COVID-19 pandemic. Increasing people’s awareness, optimizing the use of health resources, and reducing unnecessary encounters are some of the advantages of using AI chatbots during the COVID-19 outbreak. Using NLU platforms can be a suitable solution for developing AI chatbots in the healthcare domain. With advancements in the field of artificial intelligence, it seems that AI chatbots will have a promising future in healthcare, particularly in public health, chronic disease management, and mental health.

Publisher

Briefland

Subject

General Medicine

Cited by 2 articles. 订阅此论文施引文献 订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献

1. Sakhi: AI-Generated Mental Health Companion;2024 1st International Conference on Innovative Sustainable Technologies for Energy, Mechatronics, and Smart Systems (ISTEMS);2024-04-26

2. The Role of Large Language Models in Modern Medical Education: Opportunities and Challenges;Shiraz E-Medical Journal;2024-04-09

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