Exploring an Embodied Conversation Agent to Act as an Empathetic Doctor for use in Telehealth

This study examines the difference in people’s perceptions of an embodied and a nonembodied conversational agent. It also discusses the potential use of embodied AI in the telehealth industry. A GPT assistant was created with the instruction to act as an empathetic doctor, and an embodied conversation agent system was designed for it to use in interactions. Research participants interacted with both embodied and nonembodied versions of the assistant and recorded their experience through a survey. Results showed that participants had higher standards for an embodied AI and desired a more human-like interaction. If these expectations are not met, their preference shifts in favor of nonembodied AI. Users would be comfortable using embodied AI in telehealth settings, however, a preference still exists for actual doctors. Measures would also have to be taken to ensure their medical information is kept secure.