Once, a long time ago, it seems, individuals used rules-of-thumb, fancy name heuristics to navigate transactions – social or commercial. As the scale of our interactions grew, rules-of-thumb gave way to algorithms, which were, in turn, unleashed to create new algorithms based upon artificial intelligence. Somewhere along the way, those artificially intelligent algorithms became dangerous. What is high-risk artificial intelligence? Spoiler alert – it is already upon us – welcome to our version of Skynet.
artificial intelligence
While most medical reports on artificial intelligence algorithms note how well they perform against clinical judgment, lawyers focus on the prize. Who is liable for the bad outcome, the physician or the algorithm? It makes a difference in trying to get money from deep or deeper pockets.
Until a few moments ago, I, too, had been a victim of "tl,dr." In fact, I had the disease but did not know its name. Tl,dr is an acronym to “Too long, didn’t read.” Admit it, you have suffered from the same malady, but help is on the way.
If artificial intelligence can replace some highly specialized medical doctors, is any job safe? It appears the biomedical profession is ripe for an overhaul.
As we grow more and more dependent on electronic devices to minimize even the smallest amount of physical effort, it cannot be terribly surprising that pampered Americans are turning to Alexa-controlled devices. Why? So they can become even lazier. And now Alexa has invaded the bathroom. There are even smart toilets and they listen. What could possibly go wrong?
Just like airplanes, surgeons' on-time performance can improve patient outcomes. Can scheduling by algorithm make the operating room more efficient?
Can a predictive algorithm or electronic messaging improve outcomes for patients with acute kidney injuries? Potentially, yes. But practically, not yet.
We've been recently reminded of one of the most significant false-positives in U.S. history, the erroneous notification to Hawaii's citizens about the "imminent attack" of ballistic missiles. When it comes to medical care, while false positives also have harmful effects on patients and practitioners, the advances in artificial intelligence may be worsening the practice of patient care.
Artificial Intelligence and magical thinking have found their way to the Cleveland Clinic, as it relates to back problems. Those at the facility use buzzwords like "A.I," "platform" and "cost-efficiency" to repackage their care offerings and be on the "cutting edge."
Researchers have found a way to model the thinking of experts, which could allow machines to explain their "thinking." That would be a great step forward in the deep learning of medical diagnosis by computers.