Startups Magazine reported on June 30, 2023 that Google is bringing its medical large language model to Soula, the pregnancy and maternity support app. Innovation & Industry ran the same story on July 4.

Soula Gets Access to MedPaLM 2

Innovation & Industry says Soula.care partnered with Google to use MedPaLM 2 for safe communication on pregnancy, wellbeing and parenthood topics. Per Startups Magazine, the model was the first AI system to pass the United States Medical Licensing Examination, with an 85.4% score. Soula positions itself as one of the first non-medical health solutions using this technology, according to Innovation & Industry.

In addition to access to Med-PaLM 2, Google Cloud awarded Soula $350,000 worth of credits to finetune the chatbot and give access to new technological opportunities.

The Assistant Checks Its Replies for Harm and Omissions

According to Startups Magazine, Soula showcases new chatbot abilities in mental health. It gives relevant factual replies, up-to-date statistics and addresses emotional issues with care. With the medical LLM, it tailors personalised responses that prioritise the user's well-being and checks that they carry no potential harm or crucial omissions before they appear on the screen.

The article lists what Soula covers:

  • pregnancy and maternity matters and information on health-related concerns;
  • tracking foetal movement and kick frequency;
  • lifestyle questions on nutrition, sleep, physical activity and emotional self-care;
  • the locations of nearby medical centres, based on the user's location;
  • after childbirth: guidance on breastfeeding, postpartum physical recovery, techniques to soothe the baby and approaches to postpartum depression.

Miranchuk Reads Google's Trust as Confirmation

Natallia Miranchuk, CEO and Founder of Soula, is quoted by Startups Magazine on the Google partnership:

"The fact that Google has shown trust in Soula and its mission means that we are doing the right thing."

She said Soula aims to offer ethical and empathetic support for women before, during pregnancy and postpartum, finetuned with the expertise of parenthood educators and certified doulas.

Sources

  1. Sheryl Miles, Google brings its medical LLM to support people during pregnancy, maternity, and beyond, Startups Magazine, June 30, 2023.
  2. Google and Soula.care Partner to Revolutionize Maternity Care with MedPaLM 2, Innovation & Industry, July 4, 2023.