The development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is vastly transforming numerous fields. Though there are ethical concerns and possibilities for dysregulation, it has become a significant asset to modern day advancements. Additionally, it is unlikely that AI will pose a monumental threat to our civilization as regulations and awareness are increasing alongside the growth of AI. AI has had a profound impact in the medical field as it is improving diagnosis and prognosis, the ability to detect diseases, and personalized treatments.
Machine learning algorithms can interpret medical images such as x-rays and MRIs beyond the scope of human capacity. AI is exceedingly competent at learning and adapting; with each new analyzation of data, AI’s precision and accuracy are improved. There are numerous diseases and viruses where early detection and action can be life-saving; some examples include cancer, diabetes, and HIV. AI’s diagnosis and predictive ability has made something as difficult as detecting cancer in its early stages possible. For example, AI has been able to identify patterns in mammographic images, allowing it to detect breast cancer more accurately than humans, as well as lessen the number of false positives and negatives. An additional aspect of medicine that has improved due to AI is diabetes management. AI forecasts both the progression and complications of diabetes, significantly enhancing healthcare in this area. AI has also had a large impact on personalized medicine, as it is able to specialize treatments based on patients’ genotypes. AI can identify variations of genetic profiles to determine how individuals may respond to certain treatments. AI can also analyze patient records to predict how effective certain drugs will be for specific patients.
Despite AI development’s contribution to advancements in the medical field, it’s important to recognize faults, concerns, and challenges that bloom alongside the benefits. AI is still subject to regulations due to ethics, data integration, interoperability, and reliability, which could pose detrimental risks to society. It is possible for AI to be weaponized and misused, even within the medical field, so society should remain cautious and aware of its potential for abuse. This being said, there have been various efforts to better regulate the rapid advancement of AI. There are countless undeniable aspects of society that have benefitted from AI, especially the medical field as AI is saving lives. With the regulated expansion of AI, it is likely to become an extraordinary asset to society.
Works Cited
Maleki Varnosfaderani, S., & Forouzanfar, M. (2024, March 29). The role of AI in hospitals and clinics: Transforming Healthcare in the 21st Century. Bioengineering (Basel, Switzerland). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11047988/#B35-bioengineering-11-00337
McKinney , S. M. (n.d.). International Evaluation of an AI system for breast cancer screening. Nature. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31894144/
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