Robert Pearl, MD, a plastic and reconstructive surgeon, clinical professor of surgery at Stanford University and faculty member of the Stanford Graduate School of Business, shared his thoughts about the gradual permeation of artificial intelligence (AI) into the culture and business of medicine in a recent editorial in Forbes. Pearl is also the author of "Mistreated: Why We Think We're Getting Good Health Care—And Why We're Usually Wrong."
Pearl believes that the investment in AI applications will continue in medicine as hype around the technology builds among businesses and entrepreneurs. In his editorial, he covers six topics regarding the hype surrounding machine learning and its merge with reality—particularly in medicine:
- What really is AI
- Algorithmic solutions
- Visual Tools
- Uses in medical practice
- Understanding the hype and fear of AI
- The promise and potential of AI in medicine
"Over time, patients will be able to use a variety of AI tools to care for themselves, just as they manage so many other aspects of their lives today," Pearl wrote in regards to the promise and potential of AI in medicine. "It may not happen soon...but sometime in the future, more years than entrepreneurs would like and fewer years than most doctors hope, AI will disrupt healthcare as we know it. Of that we can be sure.
A recent graduate from Dominican University (IL) with a bachelor’s in journalism, Melissa joined TriMed’s Chicago team in 2017 covering all aspects of health imaging. She’s a fan of singing and playing guitar, elephants, a good cup of tea, and her golden retriever Cooper.