The human mind is very dynamic and complex - a powerful tool that can solve any given problem. The only requirement is recognition of its potential.
The introduction of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been quite pathbreaking since it mimics the functioning and processing of the human mind in problem-solving, analysis, and many more ways. It can play an amazingly powerful role in the medical field.
MedBound Times took the viewpoints about AI in medicine from its students and interns.
Let's have a look at what they have to say about it:
AI has proven to effectively dominate a variety of industries, and it will only keep evolving and innovating as we as a society advance further. In the medical field, however, I believe AI will and should mainly remain an assisting tool. It can outperform many things human medical professionals can do. Artificial intelligence reduces time and effort, and thus, it allows us more time to explore other things. But robots cannot show empathy. It may mimic emotions, but sincerity can not be learned like this. Only a human doctor can hold the hand of their patient while revealing a heartbreaking diagnosis or comfort a child scared of getting vaccinated. Humans and AI show better results when they work together rather than work in isolation.
Gunjan Negi, HR intern in journalism start up
AI can be called a boon to man's work. Numerous new machines have made life much easier for doctors. Deep neural networks, a subset of machines that mimic the way our neurons function, are also utilized to make decisions about a patient's condition.
Lalitha Lavanya Shree, 4th year medical student
So the question is, can these machines replace doctors if they can accomplish everything a doctor can do?
Never and never is my response to this!
AI was developed by humans, and in my opinion, no machine will ever be able to completely replace the human brain.
We will never be able to fully rely on machines.
Machines will only be able to diagnose things for which people add data, but in today's world, there are a variety of new diseases emerging as well as numerous consequences to already-existing diseases.
So how can we entirely rely on machines in this situation?
"Human brain is irreplaceable."
Artificial intelligence is progressing at a high pace and developing the overall process. But the thing is, the AI was invented with the vision to assist the human, to make things easier and not to completely overtake the human role. In the medical field, there is a lot of advancement happening recently, one of them is the medical robots that are carrying out the surgical process. To me, it is seen in a good light as well as in bad light. The good aspect is that the robots are carrying out the surgeries which is reducing the contamination, human-to-human contact is less. The skillset is precise - the one which is preinstalled in the AI brain. Human emotions that can lead to errors, such as anxiety, fear, or tension, are virtually non-existent when it comes to performing surgery. The bad light is that the robots are overtaking the human role, which was never the aim. The robots aren't made for critical thinking, like during emergencies or if the procedures go wrong.
Kishori Parab, B. Pharm
I would say that the purpose of AI in the medical field is to make work easier for humans and not to replace the human.
Dr. Christopher Ikeme, MD, MSc Clinical Psychology
