The rise of technologies such as ChatGPT has thrust artificial intelligence into the spotlight throughout 2023 香蕉视频直播� and health care is no exception.

香蕉视频直播淲ith the increasing availability of health-care data and the rapid progress in analytic techniques 香蕉视频直播� whether machine learning, logic-based or statistical 香蕉视频直播� AI tools could transform the health sector,香蕉视频直播� the World Health Organization said when it launched a set of regulatory recommendations in October.

As we move into 2024, here are some key AI developments 香蕉视频直播� and cautions 香蕉视频直播� that will be top of mind for Canadian experts in the new year and beyond.

PERSONALIZED PATIENT CARE

One of the most exciting potential developments in health-care AI is harnessing the ability of a computer model to process and interpret 香蕉视频直播渕ulti-modal香蕉视频直播� data about a patient, said Roxana Sultan, chief data officer and vice-president ofhealth at the Toronto-based Vector Institute dedicated to AI research.

Right now, AI models can make a diagnosis based on one or two pieces of information, such as an X-ray, Sultan said. That香蕉视频直播檚 achieved by training the model on 香蕉视频直播渢ons and tons of X-ray images香蕉视频直播� so it learns to recognize certain diagnoses.

香蕉视频直播淭hat is fantastic. But that is (only) one source of information,香蕉视频直播� Sultan said.

In the 香蕉视频直播渘ear future,香蕉视频直播� she said, machine learning will develop so that AI can take a 香蕉视频直播渕uch more comprehensive look at patient health.香蕉视频直播�

In addition to a patient香蕉视频直播檚 X-ray, for example, AI would be able to process other data, including doctor香蕉视频直播檚 notes, lab samples, medications the patient is taking and genetic information.

That ability will not only play a critical role in diagnosing a patient, but also in coming up with a more personalized treatment plan, Sultan said.

香蕉视频直播淲hen you have models that understand the complex interplay between a person香蕉视频直播檚 genetics and a person香蕉视频直播檚 medications and all the different diagnostic tests that you run on that patient, you pull those together into a picture that allows you to not only understand what香蕉视频直播檚 happening in the moment, but also to kind of plan ahead that, if I applied this treatment 香蕉视频直播� what is the more likely outcome for this particular person?香蕉视频直播�

Russ Greiner, who holds a fellowship with the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute, agreed.

香蕉视频直播淭he standard medical practice used to be one size fits all,香蕉视频直播� said Greiner, who is also a professor of computing science at the University of Alberta.

香蕉视频直播淣ow you realize that there香蕉视频直播檚 huge differences amongst individuals 香蕉视频直播� different genes, different metabolites, different lifestyle factors, all of which are influential (on health),香蕉视频直播� he said.

Machine learning means computers can analyze hundreds or thousands of characteristics about a patient 香蕉视频直播� more than a human clinician could possibly process 香蕉视频直播� and find patterns 香蕉视频直播渢hat allow us to figure out that for this characteristic of patients, you get treatment A, not treatment B,香蕉视频直播� Greiner said.

CLINICAL TRIALS

AI香蕉视频直播檚 ability to go through enormous amounts of data will also save 香蕉视频直播渢ens of thousands 香蕉视频直播� probably hundreds of thousands 香蕉视频直播� of human hours香蕉视频直播� for researchers analyzing the results of clinical trials, said Sue Paish, CEO of DIGITAL, one of five 香蕉视频直播済lobal innovation clusters香蕉视频直播� across the country funded by the federal government.

香蕉视频直播淎I basically can evaluate billions of pieces of data in a fraction of a second,香蕉视频直播� said Paish, who is based in Vancouver.

That means that new medications could be evaluated for safety and efficacy much faster, she said.

IMPROVING QUALITY OF DATA

Whether AI is being used for clinical care or for health research, the results it generates can only be as good as the data it香蕉视频直播檚 fed, experts agree.

香蕉视频直播淕arbage in, garbage out,香蕉视频直播� said Greiner.

香蕉视频直播淚f I train on faulty data, the best I can do is to build a model as good as that data, which is problematic.香蕉视频直播�

One of the priority areas is to make sure AI is getting data from reliable sources, rather than just indiscriminately taking publicly available information, said Sultan.

ChatGPT, for example, is a technology to 香蕉视频直播渆ssentially scrape the internet,香蕉视频直播� she said.

香蕉视频直播淭he problem with that 香蕉视频直播� is first and foremost, it香蕉视频直播檚 not always reliable and true,香蕉视频直播� Sultan said.

香蕉视频直播淎nd second of all, it is riddled with biases and problematic perspectives that get reinforced when you train something that can香蕉视频直播檛 make those judgments. It just reads it all, absorbs it and spits it back out for you.香蕉视频直播�

One example of a way to improve the quality of medical analyses AI generates is to train it on medical textbooks rather than the internet, Sultan said.

香蕉视频直播淚 think the ChatGPTs of the world will seem very caveman, like very rudimentary (in the future),香蕉视频直播� she said.

Researchers are also developing AI algorithms to find bias in health information, including racial or gender discrimination, Sultan said.

PATIENT SELF-MANAGEMENT

Another key area where AI will grow is in developing technologies that help patients manage their own health, experts agree.

For example, wearable AI has already been developed to help patients with heart failure self-monitor, Sultan said.

AI has also been used 香蕉视频直播渜uite effectively香蕉视频直播� in remote areas of Canada to manage some patients香蕉视频直播� wounds when they weren香蕉视频直播檛 able to access care during the pandemic, said Paish.

The AI technology attaches to a patient香蕉视频直播檚 cellphone, takes a 3D image of a wound and assesses whether it香蕉视频直播檚 infected or healing well.

That information is then sent to a doctor or nurse, who can advise the patient remotely on how to care for the wound.

香蕉视频直播淚 think we香蕉视频直播檙e going to see more and more examples of where AI is actually supporting patient health by reducing the need for a human being to take all the steps in assessment and delivery of health-care services,香蕉视频直播� Paish said.

That will take pressure off overburdened doctors, nurses and hospitals and allow them to provide in-person care when it香蕉视频直播檚 most needed, she said.

ETHICS AND REGULATION

香蕉视频直播淥ne of the big flashing yellow lights in the application of AI is making sure that there is very thorough and thoughtful evaluations of how AI is being trained,香蕉视频直播� said Paish.

香蕉视频直播淧ublic policy is going to be extremely important.香蕉视频直播�

Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada香蕉视频直播檚 chief public health officer, said it香蕉视频直播檚 critical to develop regulations and safeguards that address ethical issues such as patient privacy.

香蕉视频直播淚 think this is a really opportune time to, you know, more systematically look at 香蕉视频直播� what governance we have to put in place in order to responsibly use AI,香蕉视频直播� Tam said in a recentinterview.

Ensuring data is managed in a way that protects privacy must be 香蕉视频直播渋nterwoven香蕉视频直播� with AI development, Sultan said, noting that other legal and ethical ramifications are 香蕉视频直播渦ncharted territory.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e all trying to figure out what makes the most sense. So issues like consent, issues like data ownership and data custodianship, those are all going to shift in terms of the paradigm that we香蕉视频直播檝e looked at them through in the past,香蕉视频直播� she said.

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Nicole Ireland, The Canadian Press