Google researchers have described an early-stage research prototype called Wayfinding AI, based on Gemini, that explores a more interactive approach to health information. Instead of acting as a passive “question-answerer,” the system is designed to ask clarifying questions so it can better understand a user’s needs before responding.
In “Towards Better Health Conversations: The Benefits of Context-Seeking”, the researchers say the goal is to make health information more accessible and tailored. They argue that this kind of context-seeking more closely reflects how a doctor may guide someone through a complex topic by asking questions, identifying goals, and narrowing down what matters.
The team says it designed and tested the prototype through four mixed-method user experience studies involving a total of 163 participants. Across those studies, they iteratively refined the system and found that users considered the resulting agent significantly more helpful, relevant, and tailored to their needs than a baseline AI agent.
The research focuses on a design challenge for AI in health: how to move beyond one-shot answers and support a conversation that can surface the right context. The researchers say proactive questioning may help an AI agent discover a user’s concerns and provide more useful information for medical patients navigating online health resources.
Source: research.google.
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