Cigna launches new generative AI assistant for members

[Duaine]

Well this should go well. Which is better AI or someone in a foreign call center? Inquiring minds want to know.

• Cigna unveiled a number of new digital tools on Thursday meant to improve customer experience with its health benefits portal, including a virtual assistant based on generative artificial intelligence.
• The rollout — part of the insurer's larger push to make it easier for members to access and afford the benefits they're due — also includes a new tool to match patients to in-network providers.
• Experts have raised concerns about rising adoption of AI in the healthcare sector due to the technology's tendency to make mistakes. Cigna said its new features were developed with "rigorous" research and testing within an AI governance framework.

Generative AI models, which can create original text and images, are prone to errors, though the frequency of issues depends on the model. Models can cite incorrect sources, exhibit bias or make up information — an error known as hallucination. Hallucination rates, for example, range from 0.7% to 29.9% across a variety of different AIs, according to one analysis.

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