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Artificial Intelligence in Medicine - Caveat Doctor!

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Artificial intelligence (AI) has arrived and will permeate every aspect of our society.  It will touch all of us in our work, in the arts, in entertainment, in our government, and in our culture.  As with all technology, it will deliver us both blessings and curses.  We have been sharply warned of its potential destructive capability even by advocates of this technology.  Will governments, industry, and the public agree on proper guardrails and restraint or will the tiger simply be let out of the cage?  I worry that the strategy will be Ready! Fire! Aim!, instead of adopting thoughtful and prudent measures to keep us safe.  Indeed, I’ve offered some sober thoughts on this issue to my readers in a prior post.

My medical journals are now riddled with studies on various medical uses of AI portending an unimaginable future in the medical profession.

A few paragraphs further down in this post, I will ask my readers a philosophical question regarding AI and I invite a dialogue.  Until recently, we have valued work and accomplishments by our own hands.  The expressions ‘self-made man’ or ‘rags to riches’ typifies the value of achievement through one’s own work without the advantages of wealth or connections.  Indeed, when one achieves because of external or unearned advantages, many of us view the accomplishment differently.  Such an advantaged individual was in effect ‘born on 3rd base.’

Sooner than we think, AI will be able to write books, compose music, create culinary masterpieces, diagnose illnesses, design clothing, and operate motor vehicles – better than we humans can.  Who knows?  Perhaps, AI will also be raising our children, administering counseling and therapy, and entertaining us with faux human comedians and actors!  Fasten your seatbelts.  Turbulence is ahead.


Franz Schubert at the keyboard.

What if AI can make better music than we can?

So, here’s the question for my readers to ponder.  If AI can write an essay, for example, much better than a person can, why should any of us struggle to craft one?  If we can’t rival the literary outcome of AI, why should we struggle to create an inferior product?  Keep in mind that this query is from a blogger who has personally crafted every post on this blog which comprises over 800 essays.  Would my readers be better served if AI created more interesting and engaging posts?  You could craft similar examples of AI vs Humans concerning art, painting, acting, architecture, design, the culinary arts, and hundreds more.  What is our response and purpose if machines can do everything better than we can?

What do you think?  I look forward to your responses which I trust will be your own work.

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  1. AnonymousMarch 18, 2024 at 5:51 PM

    Insightful as always. We are in a transition period where AI may be helpful and improve productivity and may increase efficiency, such as creating office notes. Then AI will start to replace Practioners and do things better than we can. It will be a brave new world where we will need to adapt to remain relevant. My suggestion is to enjoy AI and take advantage of it while you can but recognize that eventually things will drastically change.

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  2. AnonymousMarch 21, 2024 at 2:48 PM

    Physicians should embrace AI as it enhances decision-making through data analysis, leading to more accurate diagnoses and personalized treatment plans. Automation of repetitive tasks by AI systems enables physicians to focus more on direct patient care, improving efficiency in healthcare delivery. Embracing AI empowers physicians to stay updated with medical advancements, contributing to the development of innovative solutions that address complex medical challenges and improve public health outcomes. (Written by ChatGPT!)

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    Replies
    1. Michael Kirsch, M.D.March 22, 2024 at 5:05 PM

      Ha! Perhaps, I should abdicate and permit ChatGPT to take over!

      Delete

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