I’ve been reading a lot about artificial intelligence lately, and it’s apparently improving fast and is starting to be a helpful tool. It’s important that the data it uses is correct and up-to-date, and that it can be checked, but we will be seeing more and more of it being used.
I was especially interested that it can be so helpful in medicine:
Medical artificial intelligence (AI) can perform with expert-level accuracy and deliver cost-effective care at scale. IBM’s Watson diagnoses heart disease better than cardiologists do. Chatbots dispense medical advice for the United Kingdom’s National Health Service in lieu of nurses. Smartphone apps now detect skin cancer with expert accuracy. Algorithms identify eye diseases just as well as specialized physicians. Some forecast that medical AI will pervade 90% of hospitals and replace as much as 80% of what doctors currently do. But for that to come about, the health care system will have to overcome patients’ distrust of AI.
—-Harvard Business Review, AI Can Outperform Doctors. So Why Don’t Patients Trust It?
Not surprisingly patients were more apt to accept AI if they knew a doctor would make the final decision about their health care.
I, personally, don’t want a doctor, real or artificial, making decisions for me. I like information and hearing opinions, and Andy and I both have decided to go against doctors’ advice at times and have been happy with our choice. Fingers crossed they take the time to do AI well.
May 3, 2023
Fascinating topic!
Given the rush-rush, impersonal attitudes of so many medical professionals these days, yes. If I can’t have ‘Marcus Welby, MD’ taking care of me, I’m more inclined to trust AI’s diagnosis.
Me too!
Artificial Intelligence, like lots of stuff, can be used for good or bad. I read a piece of fiction written by AI and writers are worried they are going to take over the publishing world. For a world figure up to good or evil they can deliver a message to the world all at once in dozens of languages. Interesting topic, for sure.
I imagine it’s great for translating. How cool would it be to have a phone app to translate what people are saying to you in a foreign land? And telling you how to respond.
I want the skin cancer app!! Well, trusting our lives with one fallible person is kind of scary, even if they are a good doctor. That’s why we also need second opinions and lots of our own research.
Yes!
I recently had a doctor leave me sitting in a cubicle in the ER for 2 hours when I asked about a rattle in my throat. When I complained I was told they were trying to find me a bed. I did not want to be admitted! I finally left without doctor’s approval and went home to get my test results online. I was fine. Yes, I had Covid but it was not at a life threatening stage. I hate it when the treat you as a case rather than a person. I suspect AI would have given me answers.
That would be a great place for AI.
Good and bad, there is always that with everything invented. I can certainly think of a lot of good and a lot of really bad things humans can think up. lets hope the good will out do the bad. I did not know all or any of this info, thanks
Yes, fingers crossed the good outdoes the bad.
Interesting. I wonder though if insurance companies will make things difficult.
I’m guessing they will adjust and find ways to keep profitable.
AI is a phenomenal advancement but it does make me nervous. We hope it can be controlled well enough to do good and not become an evil.