‘Clinical-grade AI’: a new buzzy AI word that means absolutely nothing

Earlier this month, Lyra Health announced a “clinical-grade” AI chatbot to help users with “challenges” like burnout, sleep disruptions, and stress. There are eighteen mentions of “clinical” in its press release, including “clinically designed,” “clinically rigorous,” and “clinical training.” For most people, myself included, “clinical” suggests “medical.” The problem is, it doesn’t mean medical. In fact, “clinical-grade” doesn’t mean anything at all.

“Clinical-grade” is an example of marketing puffery designed to borrow authority from medicine without the strings of accountability or regulation. It sits alongside other buzzy marketing phra …

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