S.A.R.A.H.

S.A.R.A.H.

Smart AI Resource Assistant for Health

WHO
Sarah, WHO’s digital health promoter
© Credits

About Sarah: WHO’s first digital health promoter

S.A.R.A.H., short for Smart AI Resource Assistant for Health, was a pioneering research prototype supported by the World Health Organization to explore how generative AI can enhance public health outreach and information delivery.

She offered 24/7, conversations in eight languages. Users could interact via text or video on any device, exploring health topics relating to healthy habits, such as how to quit smoking and vaping and tips to de-stress.

The S.A.R.A.H. project gathered data and lessons through iterative evaluation and broader research integration. Even though S.A.R.A.H. is not currently in active public deployment, the initiative:

  • offered a proof of concept for how AI can support health equity;
  • serves as a learning scaffold, enabling researchers and global partners to address required safeguards before broader implementation; and
  • reinforces WHO’s conviction that AI, when ethically guided, can expand meaningful access to health for all.

The S.A.R.A.H. project showed the potential of AI to be a helpful, compassionate, multilingual guide on public health topics. It remains a good case study for developing similar projects in the future.

 

What she did: health promotion, powered by AI

Accessible, health conversations

S.A.R.A.H.’s generative AI enabled nuanced interaction, responding to questions on nutrition, stress reduction, quitting tobacco, and more.

Breaking language and access barriers

Operating in eight languages and available around the clock, S.A.R.A.H. helped expand access to trusted health information, especially in underserved or remote communities.

 Strengthening public‑health research

As a non-for-profit prototype, S.A.R.A.H. helped researchers and global health bodies understand how AI might reliably support health communication.

 

Why it mattered: context and promise

Innovation in reach

The first test of generative AI by WHO to deliver public health advice in a scalable way.

Evidence-based design

Built from validated WHO materials and leveraged to explore what works, and what doesn’t, in AI-enabled health communications. behavior change.

Ethical foresight

WHO acknowledged concerns around equity, data bias, safety, accuracy, and privacy, and built the project accordingly.

WHO’s Director‑General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus: “S.A.R.A.H. gives us a glimpse of how artificial intelligence could be used in future to improve access to health information in a more interactive way.”

Backed by global partners

The S.A.R.A.H. project was made possible through voluntary contributions and technical support from governments, academic institutions, and private entities such as Amazon Web Services, Google, Qatar’s government, academic partners and South Machines.