China recently reported that Tsinghua University in Beijing has developed the world’s first artificial intelligence hospital. This innovative establishment has the mission to facilitate human medical care and the training of new health professionals, representing a significant advance in the medical field and a historic milestone in the integration of technology and health.
In this initial phase of implementation, the new hospital will only have doctors, nurses and virtual patients. These patients are simulated using “bots”, creating a sophisticated virtual environment, based on generative artificial intelligence. Using bots to simulate real patients is a crucial step to testing and perfecting systems before applying them in the real world. This testing environment will allow for safer and more controlled development of artificial intelligence capabilities.
The project’s developers have ambitious expectations for the future. They hope that, soon, robot doctors, guided by artificial intelligence, will be able to treat around three thousand patients per day. This number is impressive and suggests a revolution in the way healthcare services are provided. Efficiency and the ability to serve a large number of patients are characteristics that can significantly alleviate pressure on human healthcare systems, reducing queues and waiting times.
Recent studies in the area suggest that it would take at least two years for human doctors to reach the same level of care performance as a robot. This puts into perspective the speed and effectiveness of artificial intelligence systems compared to humans, highlighting their potential to transform medicine. The difference in performance can be attributed to the robots’ ability to process large volumes of data quickly and access vast banks of medical information in real time.
Tests carried out so far have shown that robot medical agents achieve a 93.06% diagnostic accuracy rate. This high precision surprised the researchers, who did not expect such impressive results at such an early stage. The ability of robots to request and analyze exams, carry out diagnoses and recommend treatments for diseases, in addition to monitoring patients, demonstrates the vast potential of this technology. Additionally, diagnostic accuracy can improve over time as AI systems learn and improve with practice.
In addition to these functions, artificial intelligence will also be able to predict and reduce the spread of infectious diseases in certain regions, playing a crucial role in controlling epidemics. This ability to anticipate and mitigate disease outbreaks can save countless lives and prevent public health crises. The use of AI in epidemiological surveillance can transform the way we deal with disease outbreaks, enabling a faster and more effective response.
However, despite the promises and revolutionary potential, researchers are paying attention to national medical regulations. They seek to ensure that artificial intelligence technology does not pose a risk to public health. Ethical questions also arise, such as who will be legally responsible in the event of a medical error committed by a robot? What to do in AI hallucination situations, like the absurd responses seen recently with ChatGPT and Google Gemini?
Accountability and reliability are critical aspects that need to be carefully managed as this technology advances. A mistake made by a robot in something trivial may be tolerable, but getting a diagnosis wrong is much more worrying. Precision is crucial in medicine, and the margin for error must be minimized as much as possible.
In addition to technical issues, there is a growing debate about the social acceptance of robot doctors. Will patients be willing to trust their health to a machine? The doctor-patient relationship is traditionally based on empathy and human communication, aspects that robots will have to address in innovative ways.
And you, would you have the courage to be treated by a robot doctor? This is a question that many ask themselves in the face of this new era of medicine. Innovation brings promises of efficiency and precision, but it also raises concerns and challenges that need to be addressed with care and responsibility.
* This text does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the publication/ Cover photo: Freepik
Follow Adnews on Instagram e LinkedIn.
#ADDSomethingNew #ADNewsOficial #ADGroupBR
