WHO Emphasises Potential and Challenges of AI in Health Sector

In an assertion that recognises both opportunity and caution in emergent technology, the World Health Organization (WHO) has opined that artificial intelligence (AI) carries the potential for revolutionising health treatments. However, it iterates that a hasty deployment, void of a comprehensive understanding of AI's performance, could inadvertently harm patients.

Insight into this delicate balance was shared by the WHO on Thursday. The global health body emphasized both AI's promise and its challenges in healthcare, specifically focusing on privacy implications and the potential to exacerbate preexisting issues.

Proactive about this dual-faceted scenario, the United Nations' health agency has published regulatory considerations on AI for health. This serves as a reference for authorities to create or adapt their guidance on its utilization.

Explaining the potential of AI, the WHO stated, "AI tools, propelled by the increasing availability of healthcare data and swift progress in analytic techniques such as machine learning, logic-based or statistical methods, could metamorphose the health sector."

In further discussions, it was posited that AI could strengthen clinical trials, enhance diagnoses and treatment, and bolster medical knowledge and skills. It also cited instances where AI could interpret radiology images or retinal scans in places experiencing a scarcity of specialists.

However, the organization cautioned about AI's rapid deployment sans a profound understanding of its functioning which could inadvertently benefit or harm end-users, encapsulating both patients and medical professionals.

In its warnings about potential setbacks, the WHO noted that the use of health data by AI systems could lead to access to sensitive personal data. Thus, establishing robust legal frameworks to ensure privacy and integrity is crucial.

On a concluding note, WHO Chief, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated, "This new guidance will aid countries to regulate AI effectively, to leverage its potential, whether in treating cancer or detecting tuberculosis, while minimising the risks."