Eating disorder chatbots: Current status, challenges, and future directions

Eating disorders (ED) have the highest case mortality rate among all mental health issues, and their prevalence has increased significantly in recent years. However, fewer than 20% of sufferers receive treatment. Chatbots, or conversational agents, that target EDs are a promising way to bridge this gap and supplement existing support by being cost-effective, accessible, and non-human. The technical compositions behind these chatbots vary, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. Generally, the field of ED chatbots is emerging and only a handful of platforms have come out, including one designed to replace ED helpline support and one to support youth body image. While many ethical and practical challenges affect ED chatbots, there are ways to make progress, and the collaboration between developers, clinicians, ethicists, and the public will be vital in this pursuit. Integrating ED chatbots into healthcare and social media platforms are future directions that could significantly advance ED healing.