AI chatbot takes on smoking: could WhatsApp help you quit?
NCT ID NCT06914492
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tested whether a chatbot providing instant messaging support via WhatsApp could help adult smokers in Hong Kong quit. Over 1,000 participants received either brief advice plus chatbot support or brief advice alone. The goal was to see if the chatbot led to higher quit rates, measured by breath and saliva tests.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- chatbot-based instant messaging support (via WhatsApp)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could provide a scalable, low-cost tool to help smokers quit using AI-powered chat support.
- What could go wrong
- This is a completed trial with results not yet reported. The chatbot may not outperform brief advice alone, and participants must already use WhatsApp, limiting generalizability.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health (COSH)
Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 999077, Hong Kong
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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