The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) has decided to remove hundreds of helpline staffers and volunteers after they voted to unionize, and now many of these positions will be replaced by a chatbot named Tessa. Cheddar’s Ashley Mastronardi spoke to one eating disorder expert who thinks this may have harmful consequences.
Update: The chatbot was taken down after reports that it was offering harmful advice. In response, NEDA sent Cheddar News this statement:
The Tessa chatbot was taken down over the weekend after it came to our attention that it provided "off-script" language. This was not how the chatbot was programmed, and X2AI/Cass' arrangement was to run the Body Positive program with zero opportunity for generative programming. We now know that over the weekend the chatbot was hacked and somehow was able to go off the pre-approved programmed responses. We will not be putting Tessa back on our website until we are confident this is not a possibility again.
Tessa has been available on our site since February 2022 and has had incredibly positive outcomes both in testing it before we launched on our website, as well as during the last year it has been available to NEDA users. Right now, the current program runs the Body Positive program for individuals at risk for an eating disorder - it is not a replacement for treatment and was never intended to be. It is designed to fill a gap for individuals with shape and weight concerns interested in tools before their thoughts and behaviors may progress to an eating disorder and need traditional professional interventions.
Cup Noodles is expanding its flavors to include a breakfast option. The new, limited edition breakfast ramen has flavors of sausage, eggs, maple syrup, and pancakes. The flavor is currently available at Walmart for $1.39.
New Hampshire’s highest court on Wednesday turned away the latest attempt to get a sentence reduction for Pamela Smart, who is serving life in prison for plotting with her teenage lover to have her husband killed in 1990.
Hundreds gathered Wednesday at a candlelight vigil in Nashville to honor and mourn the three children and three adults who were killed in a shooting at a Christian school this week.
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Two Army helicopters crashed in southwestern Kentucky during a routine training mission, causing several casualties, military officials said.
A train hauling ethanol and corn syrup derailed and caught fire in Minnesota early Thursday and nearby residents were ordered to evacuate their homes, authorities said.
As more U.S. states legalize cannabis, more people are using it, and that includes seniors. While doctors say cannabis can prove beneficial for some individuals 65 and older, it comes with some risks. Here with more is Cheddar News Senior Reporter Chloe Aiello.
Real estate agent Abdul Muid, founder and principal of Ivey North, shares his checklist for finding an apartment with Cheddar News correspondent Shannon LaNier:
Renters are still struggling to find great apartments at reasonable prices, with 19 million renters spending at least third of their income on housing. Cheddar News correspondent Shannon LaNier visits Brooklyn, a hotbed for pricey apartments, and speaks with real estate agent Abdul Muid, founder and principal of Ivey North.
Credit Suisse violated a plea agreement with U.S. authorities by failing to report secret offshore accounts that wealthy Americans used to avoid paying taxes, U.S. lawmakers said Wednesday.
