The Risks of AI Chatbots in Eating Disorder Support.

The National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA) shut down its chatbot, Tessa, after it delivered harmful information to users. Tessa was designed to run a program called Body Positive, an interactive eating disorder prevention program. However, users reported that Tessa's responses included phrases that could lead to relapse or encourage disordered behaviors. Critics argue that Tessa failed to understand how to help someone struggling with an eating disorder and that AI in this space can be harmful. NEDA and Cass are investigating what went wrong, but the conversation around the use of technology in eating disorder prevention is productive.