ML Tlachac Examines AI Chatbots and Digital Depression Datasets in Upcoming Talk

Tlachac's research focuses on two main areas: the acceptability of AI chatbots in educational settings and the comparison of digital datasets used for assessing depression. Surveys conducted at Bryant University in 2023 and 2025 indicated an increase in AI chatbot usage among faculty, staff, and students, though support for their integration in education showed less variation over the same period. Additionally, Tlachac’s analysis of datasets for depression assessment revealed that observational data were collected through smartphones (n=80), wearable technology (n=80), and cameras (n=63). The research found that women formed the majority of participants across these modalities, although recruitment varied; smartphone datasets had fewer patient participants, while wearable technology datasets included more elderly individuals. The research raised concerns about missing details in datasets, which could affect the assessment of bias and the generalizability of developed models.

Tlachac is an Assistant Professor and AI Departmental Fellow at Bryant University, holding a PhD in Data Science from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. With 14 published journal articles, Tlachac's interdisciplinary research incorporates affective computing, digital phenotyping, human-computer interaction, and AI pedagogy. Recently awarded a pilot grant from RI-INBRE, Tlachac aims to explore the acceptability of smart rings and actively mentors undergraduate research assistants, while also teaching courses in data mining and natural language processing.