Healing with Artificial Intelligence highlights the future of patient care

AI-based medicine will revolutionize care including for Alzheimer's and diabetes, predicts a technology expert, but it must be accessible to all patients.

Healing with Artificial Intelligence, written by technology expert Daniele Caligiore, uses the latest science research to highlight key innovations assisted by AI such as diagnostic imaging and surgical robots.

From exoskeletons that help spinal injury patients walk to algorithms that can predict the onset of dementia years in advance, Caligiore explores what he describes as a 'revolution' that will change healthcare forever.

Economically, the market for AI in healthcare is experiencing rapid growth, with forecasts predicting an increase in value from around USD 11 billion in 2021 to nearly USD 188 billion by 2030, reflecting an annual growth rate of 37%. AI is already being used in some countries, for example to search through genetic data for disease markers, or to assist with scheduling and other administrative tasks – and this trend is set to continue.

However, the author caveats his predictions of progress by warning these technologies may widen existing inequality. Caligiore suggests that AI-based medicine must be available to all people, regardless of where they live or how much they earn, and that people from low-income nations must not be excluded from cutting-edge care which wealthier nations can access.

Other challenges posed by the advancement of AI in healthcare includes who takes responsibility for treatment decisions, especially when a procedure goes wrong. This is a particular challenge given widespread concerns around explainable AI, as many advanced AI systems operate as black boxes, making decisions through complex processes that even their creators cannot fully understand or explain.

Caligiore says AI should support doctors and patients, not replace doctors who, says the author, have a 'unique ability to offer empathy, understanding, and emotional support'.

"AI should be viewed as a tool, not a colleague, and it should always be seen as a support, never a replacement," writes Caligiore.

"It is important to find the right balance in using AI tools, both for doctors and patients. Patients can use AI to learn more about their health, such as what diseases may be associated with their symptoms or what lifestyle changes may help prevent illness. However, this does not mean AI should replace doctors."

Despite his warnings, Caligiore is largely optimistic about the impact of AI in healthcare: "Like a microscope detecting damaged cells or a map highlighting brain activity during specific tasks, AI can uncover valuable insights that might go unnoticed, aiding in more accurate and personalized diagnoses and treatments," he says.

In any case, Caligiore predicts the healthcare landscape will look 'dramatically different' in a few years, with technology acting as a 'magnifying glass for medicine' to enable doctors to observe the human body with greater precision and detail.

Examples of where AI will make profound impacts in healthcare include, regenerative medicine, where gene and stem cell therapies repair damaged cells and organs. Spinal cord injury patients are among those who could benefit.

AI may also provide personalised therapies, suggesting treatments tailored to specific individuals often based on their unique genetic profile. Studies are being conducted into targeting different tremor types in Parkinson's and breast cancer subtypes

The convergence of regenerative medicine, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), and AI is the next frontier in medicine, Caligiore suggests. Genetically modified organisms (GMOs), living organisms whose genetic material has been altered through genetic engineering techniques, have already paved the way for personalised gene therapies.

Blending real and virtual worlds may also prove useful to healthcare, for example the 'metaverse' – group therapy where patients participate with an avatar, or 'digital twins' – AI simulations of a patient's body and brain on a computer so doctors can identify underlying causes of disease and simulate the effects of various therapies for specific patients to help doctors make more informed decisions.

These advances and others will reshape the doctor-patient relationship, according to Healing with Artificial Intelligence, but the author suggests the key is for patients and clinicians to keep a critical mindset about AI.

Caligiore warns that role of physicians will evolve as AI becomes more integrated into healthcare but the need for human interactions will remain 'central to patient care'.

"While healthcare professionals must develop technical skills to use AI tools, they should also nurture and enhance qualities that AI cannot replicate – such as soft skills and emotional intelligence. These human traits are essential for introducing an emotional component into work environments," he explains.