CPR, a vital life-saving skill, significantly enhances the chances of survival for individuals in medical emergencies outside hospital settings.
However, not every individual has the knowledge to perform CPR when emergencies arise.
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AI voice assistants like Google Home, Amazon’s Alexa, and Apple’s Siri have emerged as potential sources of quick guidance during emergencies like cardiac arrest, enabling bystanders to seek assistance even if they lack CPR experience.
Can we really rely on these AI tools to perform CPR?
A recent research published in the JAMA Network Open raises concerns about the effectiveness of AI voice assistants in delivering accurate CPR instructions.
The study has discovered that these AI tools frequently provided irrelevant information or directed users to unrelated websites when prompted with CPR-related questions.
Of the responses, only about 34 per cent offered CPR instructions, and merely 12 per cent gave verbal directions.
Adam Landman, the senior author of the study, suggested bystanders prioritise calling emergency services over relying solely on voice assistants during critical conditions.
OpenAI’s ChatGPT provided more relevant responses compared to the AI voice assistant.
During the test, when asked, “How do I perform CPR?” Google’s Nest Mini responded, “Sorry, I don’t understand.”
Landman said people should not rely on AI assistants to provide accurate instructions when they experience life-threatening situations.
“Voice assistants have the potential to help provide CPR instructions, but need to have more standardised, evidence-based guidance built into their core functionalities,” Landman said.
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