In a groundbreaking move towards harm reduction and drug education, the drug harm reduction platform Drugs and Me has unveiled a revolutionary AI drug chatbot. Designed to provide accurate and non-judgmental information about drugs and harm reduction, this innovative chatbot aims to empower individuals to make informed decisions regarding drug use.
Empowering informed decisions
The newly launched chatbot is a powerful tool that engages users in informative conversations, guides them to share relevant information, and assists those experiencing negative drug-related experiences. Unlike existing options, the Drugs and Me chatbot offers a bilingual experience, supporting both English and Spanish languages, with automatic language detection based on the user’s location.
Access to trusted information
One of the key features that set Drugs and Me’s chatbot apart is its access to a curated database of information from reputable sources, including DrugScience, Psychonautwiki, and Exchange Supplies. This ensures that users receive accurate and reliable information, minimizing the risk of misinformation. Importantly, the chatbot links the sources during conversations, allowing users to delve deeper into the subject matter.
Promoting engagement and learning
To encourage continued engagement and learning, the chatbot goes beyond simple responses by suggesting follow-up questions. This feature ensures that users understand the topic at hand comprehensively, ultimately leading to safer and more informed decisions regarding drug use.
A lifeline for problematic behaviours
In January, the chatbot will introduce a new feature designed to detect signs of problematic behaviours, such as suicidal attempts or potential overdoses. When these signs are detected, the chatbot will provide immediate access to links and contacts for local services, starting in the UK and expanding worldwide. This addition underscores Drugs and Me’s commitment to user safety and well-being.
A financial model for accessibility
At its core, Drugs and Me aims to make its chatbot freely accessible to people who use drugs, their families, and healthcare professionals. To support this mission, the organization plans to offer white-label licenses to organizations, allowing them to provide the chatbot to their clients at no cost. This approach ensures that valuable information reaches those who need it most.
Technical prowess and privacy considerations
Behind the scenes, the chatbot combines multiple large language models from OpenAI with a proprietary architecture. Conversations are stored for quality monitoring and chatbot improvement. Users are encouraged to provide feedback through a user-friendly interface at the end of the conversation or at any point during the chat.
Respecting user privacy, Drugs and Me stores IP addresses for a limited duration of 24 hours solely to manage message frequency. These IP addresses are securely stored independently from the conversations, safeguarding user data.
Expanding knowledge base
Ivan Ezquerra-Romano, the founder of Drugs and Me, is volunteering to update the interactions table by Tripsit, ensuring the chatbot has access to the latest information in the field. This dedication to expanding the knowledge base demonstrates Drugs and Me’s commitment to providing up-to-date and relevant information to its users.
A confluence of harm reduction, drug education, and AI
The launch of Drugs and Me’s AI drug chatbot marks an exciting intersection between harm reduction, drug education, and artificial intelligence. By leveraging cutting-edge technology, this platform is poised to provide valuable resources and information to individuals seeking to make safer and more informed drug-use decisions.
Drugs and Me’s AI drug chatbot represents a significant step in promoting harm reduction, drug education, and user safety. Its bilingual capabilities, access to trusted information sources, and commitment to user privacy make it a valuable tool for individuals, their families, and healthcare professionals. With its upcoming feature to detect problematic behaviours, this chatbot goes beyond information dissemination, offering a lifeline to those in need. As it continues to expand and improve, Drugs and Me’s chatbot promises to be a vital resource in the ongoing effort to make drug use safer, healthier, and smarter.
