Can an AI chatbot save lives by answering texts about pregnancy?

Many questions come up during pregnancy. Is swelling normal? Are avocados safe to eat? For folks in Kenya who don't have a search engine at their fingertips, a chatbot is offering a lifeline.

<img src='https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/5000x3334+0+0/resize/5000x3334!/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F8d%2Feb%2F72cdb86e42e1bc2bfacb766d508c%2Fgettyimages-1225247404.jpg' alt='An AI-powered chatbot in Kenya answers questions about pregnancy and new babies to cut the country's rate of maternal mortality.'/><p>Many questions come up during pregnancy. Is swelling normal? Are avocados safe to eat? For folks in Kenya who don't have a search engine at their fingertips, a chatbot is offering a lifeline.</p><p>(Image credit: Donwilson Odhiambo/SOPA Images/LightRocket)</p><img src='https://media.npr.org/include/images/tracking/npr-rss-pixel.png?story=nx-s1-5962840' />