Amidst the ongoing discussions about the increasing prevalence of artificial intelligence, there are ideas being put forth that AI will harm human employment in many sectors. Although many people believe that these ideas may not have a significant impact in the long run, news of job layoffs continues to emerge from various companies every day. A new decision by the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) in the United States seems to support those expressing such concerns.

Artificial intelligence will now be responsible for patients!

According to the decision taken by the NEDA, all employees in the helpline where individuals with eating disorders seek help by calling have been terminated. As per the decision, this task will now be carried out by a chatbot. The decision, which needs to be implemented quickly, has been met with reactions from various parties. Criticisms have been supported by stating that choosing artificial intelligence in the healthcare field is both unethical in terms of AI ethics and that the healthcare sector prioritizes human employment.

According to the decision of the American NEDA, which provides support to individuals with eating disorders through the helpline, starting from June 1st, calls will be answered by a chatbot. The association, which has been operating as a non-profit organization for a long time, announced that their staff in this department has been laid off, and the chatbot named ‘Tessa‘ will respond to calls.

It is expected that Tessa, who will start her duties at NEDA in June, will not have a very long working lifespan. It is believed that she will quickly create confusion by providing incorrect information and misleading directions, and then her position will be handed back to humans.

So, what are your thoughts on this matter? Do you think that artificial intelligence can only be active in this important role for a short period of time? You can share your opinions with us through the comments section.