Alive and Clicking

“For patients like my mom, who feel they don’t get the time or care they need from their health care systems, these chatbots have become a trusted alternative. AI is being shaped into virtual physicians, mental-health therapists, and robot companions for the elderly. For the sick, the anxious, the isolated, and many other vulnerable people who may lack medical resources and attention, AI’s vast knowledge base, coupled with its affirming and empathetic tone, can make the bots feel like wise and comforting partners. Unlike spouses, children, friends, or neighbors, chatbots are always available. They always respond.” My mom and Dr. DeepSeek. “Over the course of months, my mom became increasingly smitten with her new AI doctor. ‘DeepSeek is more humane,’ my mother told me in May. ‘Doctors are more like machines.'” (I can’t trust any doctor with whom I’m able to easily get an appointment.)