Aimee is an empathetic and private AI companion developed by the nonprofit health technology organization Audere. This AI chatbot is specifically designed to engage adolescent girls and young women in South Africa via WhatsApp, addressing crucial topics. The initiative, titled “Self-Care from Anywhere,” employs a locally trained language model and a cultural slang dictionary to facilitate confidential, stigma-free conversations on sensitive issues, including pregnancy concerns, relationships, HIV, and gender-based violence.

Aimee utilizes large language models (LLMs), computer vision, and predictive analytics to respond to inquiries, assess risk, and flag high-risk disclosures. Users can select the persona they wish to interact with - a "bestie", an older sister, or a nurse, who collects information to understand their vulnerability and guide them towards HIV self-testing. The companion knows about them and remembers what they shared last time they asked them about their life, allowing for engagement in…