How did discourse shift among Afghan citizens during the fall of republic: Early insights using conversational AI platform

Abstract. Facing the increasing demand for conversational informatics to facilitate scalable meaningful online discussion, many government organizations in war-ravaged countries as Afghanistan recently adopted these tools to strengthen deliberative democracy. However, a comparative study on its social impact in view of latest development in Afghanistan is yet to be clearly articulated. Guided by a comparative case study approach to trace the people's thoughts and attitudes during a tumultuous time on the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan using conversational AI platform, which included over 150 participants in the Kabul area using open call. The first study conducted during the final 15 days of the republic, and the second study conducted during the first 15 days following the republic's fall using same tool. There was a statistically difference in responsiveness, concerns and uncertainty while comparing both studies. We found that people more likely talking about their concerns and future uncertainty about their future in Afghanistan, while seeking or suggesting help for each other during second study. The output of this research can be used for policy making.