Since artificial intelligence programs like ChatGPT entered the mainstream conversation, new uses for AI have seemingly popped up every day. And in late February 2023, the Pew Research Center reported about 60% of Americans are uncomfortable with AI-assisted medical procedures. However, according to The New York Times, doctors in Hungary already use artificial intelligence to detect breast cancer they miss. So is the use of AI in medicine going to become commonplace?
Will we see a rise in AI used in medicine?
It’s likely that as artificial intelligence becomes more sophisticated over time, it will become more common in general medical practices. According to the National Library of Medicine, “AI promises to change the practice of medicine”; it just needs more time. In fact, artificial intelligence is already frequently used in the medical field, albeit for accurate data entry and administrative purposes.
Although, progress has already begun! The artificial intelligence used by doctors in Hungary detected breast cancer in 22 cases that radiologists missed. And 40 more cases are under review. The clinic’s director, Dr. András Vadászy, said, “it’s a huge breakthrough.”
Artificial intelligence can also help detect early signs of Alzheimer’s.
According to Fortune, researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital used a deep learning AI program to detect the degenerative brain disease. They found it could detect Alzheimer’s in complicated cases that make early-onset detection exceedingly tricky. Doctors trained the program on brain scans from over 10,000 patients, some with and some without the disease.
The program detected Alzheimer’s with a 90.2% accuracy rate, far higher than a previous study’s 77% accuracy. And the success of this study could lead to clinical trials that further improve the technology. “Our results […] make a strong case for clinical use of this diagnostic technology,” said research fellow Matthew Lemming. Furthermore, an AI program developed at the University of Florida can detect Alzheimer’s up to five years before a diagnosis.
Artificial intelligence is proving to be a highly beneficial tool for doctors. And though some might find its use offputting, the results don’t lie. Sooner or later, it seems that medical professionals everywhere will use AI.
