Trained on real electronic health records, medical AIs are making rapid progress. How long before we see these tools widely used in the clinic, wonders Alex Wilkins
Technology
| Columnist
25 January 2023
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HOW would you feel if your doctor, rather than consult their own clinical knowledge, turned instead to an AI trained on your medical history to help diagnose your next ailment or write your next prescription?
These sorts of scenarios have been hypothetical for decades – the technology has been subpar and the stakes too high to risk offloading medical advice to a machine. However, the success of large language models like ChatGPT, a popular, artificially intelligent chatbot from the OpenAI research lab, has led to a rethink of what might be possible.
In December, I was reading through a list of …
Source link In recent years, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been transforming many aspects of the medical industry, from helping diagnose diseases to identifying drug targets and more. AI can bring medical advances that reduce costs, improve efficiency, and facilitate personalized treatment. The question of when AI-driven medical technologies will become available in clinics nationwide remains open and is of great interest.
The potential of AI-based healthcare is far-reaching. AI can be used to accelerate the diagnosis process, making it easier and faster to detect strange and rare diseases. AI-based robotic surgeries are becoming available, and they are enabling more precise and complex operations with the potential to improve outcomes. AI can also be a powerful tool to reduce the cost of treatments, including the use of drugs, by reducing the need for expensive, time-consuming clinical trials. In addition, AI may soon be used to predict how successful therapies will be, helping inform healthcare decisions.
Despite all the potential AI has to offer, it is likely to be some time before it permeates healthcare in a big way. AI-based technologies are still in their early stages, and the research and development must be consistent and ongoing to ensure they are reliable and safe. Furthermore, implementing AI-driven technologies in clinics nationwide requires substantial investments in both infrastructure and training.
Nevertheless, it is clear that, when it arrives, AI has the potential to revolutionize the healthcare process and put the patient first. AI can make it faster and easier to diagnose and treat rare diseases, reduce the cost of treatments, and enable personalized medicine. This can improve healthcare outcomes and make the experience of the medical care for patients and their families less stressful.
It is too early to pinpoint the exact timeline for when AI-based medical technologies will reach clinics nationwide. However, with researchers and companies investing in this field, it is safe to say that the future of AI in medicine is bright – and that, eventually, AI-based medical technologies will become available in clinics across the country.
