How AI can improve health for everyone
As a doctor and Google’s Chief Health Officer, I believe AI has potential to transform the health of people on a planetary scale akin to the discovery of penicillin. If developed boldly and responsibly. AI stands to be a powerful force for health equity, improving outcomes for everyone, everywhere.
Already, AI has enabled people to tackle big, societal challenges from advancing medical research to improving the accuracy and efficiency of diagnostic processes and health information quality. Across Google. we are deploying AI in our products to help people in everyday moments. That might look like someone accessing mental health resources on about irregular heart rhythms or powering out most accurate heart rate tracking on Fitbit.
Develop AI responsibly – especially when it comes to health
We are in the early stages of understanding the full runway for these new AI technologies. If not developed and deployed responsibly. AI could amplify existing disparities. We are working to ensure that these technologies do not leave anyone behind and that the advancement of AI is harnessed in bold and responsible way. All while partnering with the health ecosystem and people it is serving.
Our AI Principles provide a framework for ensuring our AI applications are fair, safe and effective. Above all, they remind us to uphold one of medicine’s oldest tenets, Do No harm. Anything else is unacceptable.
Collaborate with others
How AI can Improve Health for Everyone: To make sure AI happens with healthcare and not to healthcare, we want to identify high impact and globally helpful solutions in close collaboration with hospitals, governments, universities, healthcare providers and consumers. And do this in a safe, responsible and equitable way help improve health outcomes for everyone.
Some foundational examples of these efforts include our work with the National Academy of Medicine on its Health Care AI Code of Conduct and the Coalition for Health AI on guidelines to make sure AI tools result in high quality care, increase credibility amongst users, and meet health care needs.
Use AI as one of many tools to improve health
While AI is becoming one of the most powerful tools in the doctor’s bag, it is important to remember that the best AI model is only a technology and health is human. Health requires human judgment and contextual understanding such as a care provider’s ability to read between the lines or understand the health burdens associated with patients living a certain postcode. AI will not replace doctors and other health team members, but clinicians who use AI will replace clinicians without AI.
How AI can Improve Health for Everyone: Medical professionals should embrace AI as a powerful assistive technology that can help them make better decisions, save time, access additional insights, enhance diagnostic accuracy, and boost their ability to deliver excellent care and improve health.
At Google, we want to play our part in unlocking AI for health in a bold and responsible way so we can build the right AI powered tools, products and services together with the industry and consumers. After all, health is what we do together as a society to create the conditions in which everyone can live healthier life.
Conclusion
Artificial Intelligence (AI) holds transformative potential for the global healthcare landscape. By enhancing diagnostics, personalizing. By enhancing diagnostics, personalizing treatment plans, and improving patient outcomes, AI is ushering in a new are of precision medicine.
Its ability to analyze vast datasets and uncover hidden patterns is enabling early detection of diseases, optimizing resource allocation, and reducing healthcare costs. Moreover, AI powered tools are democratizing access to quality care, particularly in undeserved regions, by providing remote consultations and monitoring.
However, the successful integration of AI into healthcare requires addressing ethical consideration, data privacy concerns, and enduring equitable access. Collaboration between stakeholders – policymakers, healthcare providers, technologists, and patients is crucial for harness the full potential of AI while safeguarding human values and rights.