Sunday, July 02, 2023

by Aaron Medaris

I think my first true introduction of Artificial Intelligence or AI, (that wasn’t from a sci-fi movie) came in February of this year, when I read an article about ChatGPT, a language processing tool that could write essays, papers, and articles in seconds; thus, leading to its quick ban from schools and universities around the nation. Granted it writes articles around a 6^th grade level, so if you’re using that to cheat your way through college, you probably have other problems coming your way. 

Today it seems like every time I open my favorite news app, there’s a new article about AI and how it’s helping to advance industries across the globe. Aside from language processing tools like ChatGPT, industries from finance, manufacturing, retail, agriculture, transportation, and entertainment are utilizing AI to do things they have never been able to do before. Take this headline from today’s news: “The Beatles are releasing their ‘final’ record. AI helped make it possible.” Yes, even the Beatles are benefiting from AI technology. 

With AI transforming industries across the globe, some of the most promising advancements are in the field of healthcare. In this article, we’ll look at some of the different ways that AI is transforming healthcare. 

Medical imaging analysis: AI algorithms can analyze medical images, such as X-rays, CT scans, and MRIs, to detect and diagnose diseases with high accuracy. AI systems can identify patterns and anomalies that may be difficult for human experts to spot, leading to faster and more accurate diagnoses. AI can also provide precise and quantitative measurements from medical images. For example, AI algorithms can calculate tumor size, volume, or growth rates, providing valuable information for treatment planning and monitoring response to therapy. It’s also helping to provide image-based risk predictions. By analyzing medical images and patient data, AI algorithms can predict the risk of certain diseases or conditions. For instance, in cardiovascular imaging, AI can analyze cardiac images to assess the risk of future cardiac events and guide preventive measures. 

Precision medicine: AI enables personalized treatment plans by analyzing large amounts of patient data, including genetic information, medical records, and lifestyle factors. This data can be used to predict disease risks, identify optimal treatment options, and develop tailored therapies for individual patients. Take for instance, genomic analysis. AI algorithms can analyze genomic data to identify genetic variations, mutations, and biomarkers associated with specific diseases. By understanding a patient's genetic profile, AI can help determine personalized treatment options and predict disease risks. 

Drug discovery and development: AI is being used to accelerate the drug discovery process. AI algorithms can analyze massive datasets to identify potential drug candidates, simulate and predict drug behavior, and optimize drug formulations. This helps in reducing costs and time required for drug development. AI algorithms can even optimize various drug properties, such as efficacy, safety, and pharmacokinetics. By analyzing chemical structures and properties, as well as historical data on drug development, AI can suggest modifications to enhance the potency and selectivity of compounds, improve drug-like properties, and reduce toxicity. One exciting way AI is helping in drug discovery and development is by repurposing existing drugs. AI can identify new therapeutic uses for existing drugs by analyzing large datasets and identifying potential drug-disease associations. By leveraging known drug properties and their effects on different biological pathways, AI algorithms can suggest repurposing strategies, leading to the development of new treatments for different diseases. 

Virtual assistants and chatbots: AI-powered virtual assistants and chatbots can interact with patients, answer their questions, and provide basic medical advice. They can triage patients, schedule appointments, and offer information on common symptoms or conditions, improving access to healthcare services and reducing the burden on healthcare providers. 

Predictive analytics: AI algorithms can analyze large volumes of patient data to predict disease progression, identify high-risk patients, and optimize treatment plans. This helps healthcare providers make informed decisions and allocate resources more effectively. Take for instance, early disease detection. AI algorithms can analyze patient data, including medical records, genetic information, and lifestyle factors, to identify early indicators of diseases. By detecting patterns and risk factors, AI can predict the likelihood of developing certain conditions, enabling early intervention and preventive measures. AI algorithms can also stratify patients into different risk groups based on their individual characteristics and health data. By considering factors such as age, gender, medical history, genetic markers, and environmental factors, AI can predict the likelihood of adverse events, disease progression, or treatment response. This helps in prioritizing high-risk patients for targeted interventions. 

Robot-assisted surgery: AI-enabled robotic systems assist surgeons during complex procedures, providing more precision, flexibility, and control. These systems can enhance surgical outcomes, reduce invasiveness, and shorten recovery times. In fact, AI is helping in robot assisted surgery before the surgery even begins. AI algorithms can assist in preoperative planning by analyzing patient-specific data, including medical images and patient anatomy. By simulating different surgical scenarios, AI can help surgeons visualize the procedure, optimize surgical approaches, and develop personalized surgical plans. During surgery, AI-powered robotic systems can assist surgeons during procedures by performing specific tasks or providing guidance. For example, AI algorithms can enable robotic arms to perform precise suturing or stapling with enhanced stability and dexterity, allowing for more precise tissue manipulation. 

Health monitoring and wearable devices: According to a recent survey, about 35 percent of adults use wearable devices. AI algorithms can analyze data from wearable devices, such as fitness trackers and smartwatches, to monitor vital signs, detect abnormalities, and provide real-time feedback on health status. This facilitates remote patient monitoring and early intervention. AI algorithms can analyze wearable data to identify early signs of certain diseases or conditions. By tracking changes in vital signs, sleep patterns, or activity levels, AI can help in early detection and intervention, improving the chances of successful treatment and management. 

Patient data management: AI can streamline and improve the management of electronic health records (EHRs). Natural language processing algorithms can extract relevant information from unstructured medical records, improving accuracy and efficiency in data entry and retrieval. 

These are just a few examples of how AI is being used in medicine. As the field continues to advance, AI has the potential to revolutionize healthcare delivery, improve patient outcomes, and enhance the overall efficiency of medical systems. But we do need to be careful with our use of AI especially when it comes to our healthcare. An amazing yet concerning fact is that AI is still in its infancy. Think about where we were 30 years ago when America Online was spamming our mailboxes, not inboxes, with CDs of their internet software. Remember the sound of dialup internet via your 56k modem, praying that it would connect long enough and be quick enough so you could check your email? Now think about where we are today in terms of technology. The differences are so great, I don’t think many of us in 1996 could even imagine the technological miracles we experience on a daily basis. I personally think we’re at the America Online stage of AI, maybe even before that. This is just the beginning, and the advancements are going to come much quicker than they did with the early days of the internet. That’s an exciting prospect when you think about it. But I can see why some tech giants and politicians are calling for a pause in AI development while we figure out rules and legislation going forward. AI has already transformed many industries for the better and it has the great potential to change our lives for the better, but if it’s not done right, especially with healthcare, it could have the opposite effect. It’s my hope that we do get this right and that AI technology continues to advance in a positive way, opening doors to the cure of diseases that have plagued our world for far too long.