AI in healthcare: what patients need to know

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly changing many aspects of our lives, and healthcare is no exception within the digital revolution. Working with The Mayo Clinic, Google have launched AI technology to assist with radiotherapy planning. The tech giant has produced its own version of a model that will be able to direct scanners around organs. As patients, it is important to understand how all these types of advancements might affect our medical experiences and outcomes.

Open AI have recently announced the scrapping of CHAT GPT and and how it will be replaced by an o1 latest iteration, "o1 significantly advances the state-of-the-art in AI reasoning. We plan to release improved versions of this model as we continue iterating. We expect these new reasoning capabilities will improve our ability to align models to human values and principles. We believe o1 – and its successors – will unlock many new use cases for AI in science, coding, math, and related fields. We are excited for users and API developers to discover how it can improve their daily work".

Let’s explore some key questions about AI in healthcare and how it may impact your well-being.

What impact is AI likely to have on patients – in real reality?

AI is set to bring significant improvements to patient care. In diagnostics, AI algorithms can analyse medical images and patient data more quickly and, in some cases, more accurately than human experts. This could lead to earlier detection of diseases such as cancer, potentially saving lives.

AI can also help create personalised treatment plans by analysing large amounts of medical data, taking into account your genetic makeup, lifestyle, and medical history. Wearable devices powered by AI are increasingly able to monitor your vital signs continuously, alerting healthcare providers to potential issues before they become serious.

AI is also streamlining administrative tasks such as appointment scheduling and medical record management, which could reduce waiting times and help patients access care more efficiently. In drug discovery, AI is accelerating the process of developing new medications, potentially bringing life-saving treatments to market more quickly.

However, while the potential benefits of AI are exciting, there are challenges that could impact healthcare quality. In some cases we are testing the limits of digital medicine. AI systems rely on vast amounts of medical data, but if that data is not accurate or diverse, the recommendations made by AI may not be as effective for all patients. High-quality, human-generated medical data remains crucial to the success of AI. Furthermore, ensuring that AI systems are trained on data that represents diverse patient populations is vital to prevent bias or disparities in care.

Will AI improve informed consent and access to appropriate treatment options?

AI has the potential to enhance the informed consent process and improve access to appropriate treatment options. AI-powered systems can provide patients with up-to-date information about their condition and treatment options, presented in an easy-to-understand format.

AI can also analyse individual health factors to give more accurate predictions of potential outcomes and side effects associated with different treatments. In addition, AI-powered translation tools can help overcome language barriers, ensuring that non-English-speaking patients fully understand their treatment options.

AI can support discussions between you and your healthcare provider, ensuring that all relevant options are considered and helping you make decisions that align with your personal values. Telemedicine platforms enhanced by AI can connect patients with specialists and treatment options that may not be available locally, expanding access to care.

That said, AI also introduces new ethical considerations. It is important that these systems remain free from bias and that patients fully understand the role AI plays in their care. AI-generated information used to inform patients must be accurate and based on high-quality medical data.

Will AI remove the need for doctors?

Despite significant advances in AI, it is unlikely that it will replace doctors in the near future. Instead, AI is more likely to work alongside healthcare professionals to enhance their work. AI will serve as a powerful tool for doctors, helping them to make better decisions by analysing large amounts of data, which will allow more time for patient interaction.

While AI excels at recognising patterns in data, human doctors will remain essential for complex decision-making, especially in cases where multiple complicating factors need to be considered. Furthermore, the emotional support, empathy, and personal connection that healthcare providers offer cannot be replicated by AI.

Doctors will continue to oversee AI systems, interpreting their results and making the final decisions about patient care. Human judgement will also be crucial in navigating the ethical dilemmas that often arise in healthcare. Although AI is effective in common medical scenarios, human expertise will be required for rare or unprecedented cases.

Ultimately, the future of healthcare is likely to involve a careful balance of AI and human expertise. Doctors will use AI to improve the quality of care, while ensuring that human judgement and compassion remain central to the patient experience.

The future of AI in healthcare: opportunities and challenges

As AI continues to evolve, it is important to consider both its potential benefits and the challenges it may present. The effectiveness of AI in healthcare will rely heavily on the quality and diversity of the data used to train these systems. Ensuring that AI is trained on high-quality, representative data will be crucial in preventing bias and achieving reliable outcomes for all patient populations.

AI’s ability to process large datasets and identify patterns must be balanced with the critical thinking, empathy, and real-world experience that human doctors provide. The best care will come from combining these strengths.

There are also ethical considerations to address as AI becomes more prevalent in healthcare. Issues such as patient privacy, consent to AI's involvement in treatment decisions, and ensuring equitable access to AI-enhanced care must be handled with care.

It is also vital that AI systems are transparent in their decision-making, with processes that both healthcare professionals and patients can understand. Regulatory bodies will need to develop frameworks to ensure that AI in healthcare is used safely, effectively, and ethically.

As AI becomes a larger part of healthcare, patients may need to develop new digital skills to engage with these systems and make informed decisions about their use.

Quantum computing and AI: a glimpse into the future

Recent advancements in quantum computing could further enhance AI’s capabilities in healthcare. Quantum computers could analyse complex medical data much faster than traditional computers, allowing for quicker diagnoses and more personalised treatment plans. Quantum-powered AI could also speed up drug discovery by simulating molecular interactions more accurately.

In precision medicine, quantum computing could enable more detailed analysis of genetic data, further advancing the field. Although these possibilities are exciting, practical large-scale quantum computers are still years away. Recent breakthroughs in error correction have brought us closer, but there are still significant challenges to overcome before quantum computing can be applied in healthcare.

Interconnected technological advancements: a holistic approach to health

While AI is revolutionising healthcare directly, advancements in other fields, such as sustainable housing, are also having significant impacts on public health. Recent innovations in 3D-printed housing, particularly those using recycled materials like plastic, could provide more affordable housing options, reduce waste, and improve living conditions. These benefits can, in turn, contribute to better mental and physical health for communities.

Reducing plastic waste and building more energy-efficient homes can lead to cleaner environments, lowering the risk of health problems related to pollution. AI can assist by optimising the design of these sustainable housing solutions, making them more efficient and cost-effective. AI can also help predict and manage energy usage in smart homes, further reducing environmental impacts.

These developments highlight the importance of considering health from a holistic perspective. Housing, environment, and community design all play a role in shaping health outcomes. As AI continues to advance, it may increasingly take these broader factors into account when assisting with diagnoses or treatment plans.

Scaling new AI models by over 10,000 times will require new nuclear plants

As reported by Singularity University if investment in AI and Generative AI continues at the same pace, a report from Epoch AI explored whether scaling is technically even feasible. Will we be able to find enough of the primary inputs—power, chips, and data—to maintain AI scaling at the current rate?

The report found that, yes, it is technically possible to scale models by least 10,000x over OpenAI’s GPT-4 through 2030. The biggest sticking point: Powering the coming quantum leap in data centers.

Singularity Univertsity say, Sam Altman reportedly pitched the US government on plans to build several five-gigawatt data centers to be located around the country. Five gigawatts, Bloomberg writes, is like five nuclear plants powering three million homes. Speaking of which, Microsoft has also announced plans to reopen Pennsylvania’s Three Mile Island nuclear plant.

Conclusion

AI is poised to transform healthcare in ways that could greatly benefit patients, promising more accurate diagnoses, personalised treatments, and improved access to information. The integration of quantum computing could further revolutionise healthcare by providing the computational power needed to tackle complex medical challenges.

Technological advancements in other fields, such as sustainable housing, can also have indirect but meaningful impacts on public health, reminding us that healthcare is deeply interconnected with our environment and living conditions.

As patients, staying informed about these developments will help us navigate our healthcare in this new age of AI and emerging technologies. It is important that AI is used ethically, equitably, and in ways that genuinely benefit human health. This collaboration will involve healthcare providers, patients, policymakers, and technologists working together, not only within healthcare but also across industries, to create healthier communities and better overall well-being.