The US National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA) replaced the team of staff and volunteers manning a popular and reputable helpline with an inaccurate and unreliable chatbot, resulting in a backlash.

Under pressure from surging demand for eating disorder and 'crisis-type' advice, NEDA's helpline team decided to unionise to ensure a safer and more productive work environment. They were fired four days after they unionised, though NEDA said the two were unrelated.

Citing concerns over legal liabilities and operational efficiency, NEDA responded by saying it would replace the helpline and its team with 'Tessa', a mental health chatbot.

However, initial evaluations of the new bot suggested it had some way to go before it was able to provide relevant, effective advice in an appropriate manner, prompting complaints by NEDA staff and volunteers, who 

The new chatbot was taken offline two days before it was officially due to launch after it was found to have been encouraging unhealthy eating habits rather than helping someone who said she had an eating disorder.