During a recent trip abroad, I unexpectedly realized that I was running late for the airport. I didn't speak the local language very well, so I used a mobile translation app that allowed me to explain the urgency of my situation to the taxi driver. A mobile app that uses a camera has allowed me to understand road signs better and navigate in real time.
This is just one example of how digital innovation, and especially artificial intelligence (AI), is changing our world. As new research shows, AI models can detect the first signs of health complications (for example, sepsis), so these technologies will inevitably lead to a revolution in the field of medicine.
The rapid pace of technological progress underscores the urgency of regulating AI. A prime example is the European Union's Artificial Intelligence Law, which is expected to be adopted in the second half of 2024.
This pioneering law classifies artificial intelligence systems according to their risk levels and explicitly prohibits specific high-risk applications, such as social scoring and emotion recognition, that pose a threat to personal safety, civil liberties and democratic governance. The law also emphasizes the importance of transparency and explanation so that users can access information about AI-generated decisions.
The ambitious EU law is a good starting point for a global discussion on how not to use artificial intelligence. However, given the enormous potential of these technologies to transform healthcare, it is equally important to explore how they can be used to complement the human-centered aspects of medicine.
For starters, AI has the potential to make medicine more emotionally responsive. A new study published in JAMA Internal Medicine compares ChatGPT's answers to health questions with those of doctors. Interestingly, a group of licensed medical professionals chose ChatGPT responses 79% of the time, believing that they expressed more empathy for patients. And previous studies have shown that empathy and compassion can improve the condition of patients and speed up the healing process.
In recent years, health services have been overwhelmed with managerial and administrative responsibilities that limit their ability to build rapport with patients. This "documentation burden" often leads to employee burnout and reduces the quality of care. By automatically answering routine questions, scheduling appointments and managing documentation, AI platforms could streamline administrative processes and free up doctors to spend more time with patients.
However, the capabilities of AI extend far beyond streamlining administrative tasks. A growing body of clinical evidence shows that deep learning algorithms (trained on massive amounts of medical images and patient records) can analyze X-rays, MRIs and other medical images with remarkable accuracy, often surpassing the diagnostic abilities of doctors. Such innovations have the potential to revolutionize precision diagnostics, helping to detect diseases such as pneumonia and cancer early, as well as supporting global health efforts, especially in remote areas where access to specialized medical services is limited.
Governments around the world are increasingly realizing the importance of preventive medicine, largely because of its economic benefits. Artificial intelligence is absolutely necessary here because it is capable of interpreting data obtained through devices and sensors that people wear. These data make it possible to identify the first signs of pathologies, especially heart diseases, and therefore prevent minor health problems from growing into a dramatic crisis. In addition, smart watches and fitness bands use AI-based monitoring systems that can detect potential breathing disorders during sleep and prompt users to seek medical attention before a health problem becomes serious.
Yes, the integration of artificial intelligence in health care is a great challenge and raises many ethical questions. In addition to ensuring fairness, combating algorithmic bias, and ensuring data privacy and security, it is critical to understand that artificial intelligence cannot replace the personal touch needed in clinical practice. Healthcare professionals must lead this transition and use new technologies to supplement their skills. Although chatbots are unlikely to replace doctors and nurses anytime soon, AI tools are already helping healthcare providers by improving the accuracy of diagnoses and personalizing care based on data analysis.
Perennial health problems, above all chronic diseases such as diabetes or hypertension, are often attributed to inadequate investment in public health and lack of social cohesion, so that technology alone will not be enough to solve these problems. In such cases, a comprehensive reform of the national health policy is necessary.
By applying new digital technologies responsibly and ethically, we can radically change the way we diagnose, treat and prevent disease. A new era in medicine will begin, one that will be data-driven and where healthcare professionals and artificial intelligence systems will work together to provide the best possible care for everyone. Machines can help us, but only we can create a healthier future.
The author is a senior fellow at the Aspen Institute; is a member of the Regulatory Working Group for Digital Health and Innovation at the World Health Organization
Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2024. (translation: NR)
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