Artificial intelligence reaches the field of medicine

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is penetrating all “real” life environments. You can already see uses of it in thecompanies, banking, the video game industry, education and now in medicine.

(Read: The jobs affected by chatbots with artificial intelligence).

The first thing to say is that the AI ​​is “the combination of algorithms and data for the purpose of creating machines that have the same or very similar capabilities to those possessed by humans”, as defined by the Claro company.

In that sense, that combination of algorithms It is applied in medicine in studies to have more complete diagnoses.

With the use of AI, certain pathologies can be detected that cannot be seen with normal studies and that are achieved with small margins of error.

The benefit, according to experts, goes two ways: for patients, who will have better diagnoses and, as a consequence, better treatments. But, also for health professionals, because according to GE HealthCare, a company that provides technologies and data analysis, “it contributes to reducing the workload of health workers and generating more efficiency and reliability in treatments.”

On the other hand, according to the company, betting on the application of AI contributes to the reduction of medical personnel in the world.

(Also: Thefts to technological infrastructure: how does it affect the service?).

We already said that they are algorithms that are created and allow conclusions to be reached, but in a more direct way, as GE HealthCare mentions, they can be “interpret x-rays, MRIs, CT scans and other medical imaging data more quickly and accurately, using next-generation AI algorithms”.

Additionally, yesIt is used in the field of predictive maintenance solutions, here they “examine equipment performance data and detect potential problems at an early stage, using machine learning algorithms.”

Another of the mechanisms for the implementation of artificial intelligence is in the evaluation of patient data in real time during surgery or medical procedure and with the analysis of this data and its conversion into practical information, a “quick analysis of the situation” can be made.

In accordance with those benefits that the company highlights, GE HealthCare bought Caption Health Inc., a leading private AI company that creates applications to detect diseases.

“This alliance will allow more patients to enjoy new ultrasound exam technology in doctors’ offices, homes, and in alternative care settings, potentially avoiding hospitalizations and also improving clinical outcomes.”, they mention.

(Read: This is the first Western country to block access to ChatGPT.)

Not everyone welcomes the use of AI in “real life”, because as Elon Musk, the owner of Twitter, stated, “AI is a risk to the existence of civilization”, it is not known if to such a magnitude, but risks could be seen in the leak of patient data.

Colombia is one of the countries in the region that has a public policy on Artificial Intelligence (AI).

In that sense, as described in the Ethical Framework, “Artificial intelligence can also generate negative effects in terms of misinformation, bias, discrimination, security, and privacy. Therefore, a need arises to ensure an ethical and trustworthy implementation of artificial intelligence in Colombia.”. In addition, it is mentioned that “the data should not be used to cause harm”.

CLAUDIA M. QUINTERO RUEDA
Portfolio Journalist