In Mumbai, 32-year-old Komal Vilas Thatkare faces a common dilemma - she has no one to turn to for her most private health questions. Living in a household with only men, she lacks the opportunity to seek advice from other women. However, Thatkare has found a solution in the form of an AI-powered chatbot developed by the Myna Mahila Foundation.

The chatbot, known as Myna Bolo, operates on OpenAI's ChatGPT model and offers personalized responses to questions about sexual health. Through interactions with the chatbot, Thatkare learned about contraceptive pills and how to use them. She is one of 80 test users recruited by the foundation to train the chatbot, which draws on a database of medical information.

The development of the chatbot is part of a larger trend in utilizing AI to provide accurate medical information to a wider audience. Funded by organizations like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the chatbot aims to fill a gap in access to reproductive health information due to social norms. The Gates Foundation, along with other philanthropic initiatives, is supporting the development of AI tools in low- and middle-income countries to address community-specific problems.

While the chatbot shows promise in delivering personalized advice, there are still challenges to overcome. Issues with translation and the accuracy of responses need to be addressed before wider release. The foundation is exploring training options for women to assist others in using the chatbot effectively.

Dr. Christopher Longhurst, chief medical officer at UC San Diego Health, emphasizes the importance of testing AI tools for their impact on patient outcomes. He believes that AI has the potential to revolutionize healthcare in the long term, akin to the introduction of penicillin.

The Myna Mahila Foundation is collaborating with other Gates Foundation grantees to improve the chatbot and establish privacy standards for handling reproductive health data. Steps are being taken to ensure the privacy of users, including discussions on deleting messages after a certain period to protect sensitive information.

Overall, the development of the chatbot represents a step towards democratizing access to healthcare information through AI technology. While challenges remain, the potential for AI to improve health outcomes in underserved communities is significant.