The health and wellness industry is poised for transformation thanks to artificial intelligence (AI) technology. However, challenges remain that need to be addressed before AI can fully realize its potential. This was the key takeaway from a roundtable discussion at the Viva Technology conference in Paris, which featured Chris Tung from Alibaba Group, Brittany Barrett from FemHealth Insights, and CNBC’s Arjun Kharpal.
Tung highlighted the advancements in China where AI is being used to speed up tumor diagnosis, saving doctors valuable time. Meanwhile, Barrett shared an example of an algorithm that accurately predicted a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer within the next few years, even when a radiologist had missed the signs.
While AI has shown great promise in healthcare, personalization is key to delivering effective care. One-size-fits-all approaches are not sufficient as each individual has unique needs that should be addressed. Achieving true personalization is hindered by data bias, which was emphasized by both Barrett and Tung. They stressed the importance of incorporating gender and sex into algorithms for more accurate and personalized results. Fair representation of diverse data sets including different cultures and backgrounds is also critical for creating personalized solutions.
The roundtable discussion also touched on the increasing adoption of AI and the significance of data protection in this rapidly evolving field. Overall, while AI holds great promise for transforming the healthcare industry, addressing data bias and ensuring fair representation in algorithms are essential steps in realizing its full potential for personalized and effective healthcare solutions.
