Artificial intelligence in healthcare-opportunities and challenges

Abstract

The term artificial intelligence (AI) evokes various responses amongst healthcare professionals, researchers and consumers (1). For some, AI could be panacea to all the problems ailing the healthcare sector and yet for others, a fad to be quickly dismissed. The truth is somewhere in between considering the efficacy of machine learning, a subset of AI, has been demonstrated in different areas of medicine with improved diagnosis and treatment being made possible (2). In other instances, AI has been found to useful in drug discovery, infectious disease surveillance and even in aiding efficient healthcare administration. Also, there has been increasing support from governments and the private sector in funding AI in healthcare research and development with a growing number of AI enabled medical software being approved for use in the market (3). However, AI as a new technology, especially so in the realm of medicine, has to be carefully evaluated for its safety and efficacy in achieving its intended outcomes (4). There is requirement for some preparatory work and laying out the ground for integration of AI in routine clinical workflows, while supporting more research and development of AI in healthcare applications.

Topics & Concepts