WHO's move for regulation of AI in healthcare highlights risks: Report

New Delhi, Oct 25: The World Health Organization’s (WHO) recent considerations for the regulation of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare, highlights the potential challenges associated with using AI tools in the sector, according to a report on Wednesday.

The WHO regulatory considerations touch on the importance of establishing safety and effectiveness in AI tools, making systems available to those who need them, and fostering dialogue among those who develop and use AI tools.

The WHO recognises the potential of AI in healthcare, as it could improve existing devices or systems through strengthening clinical trials, improving diagnosis and treatment, and aiding the knowledge and skills of healthcare professionals.

The report by GlobalData, a data and analytics company, notes that AI technologies are and have been deployed quite quickly, and not always with a full understanding of how they will work in the long run, which could be harmful to healthcare professionals or patients.

“AI has already improved several devices and systems, and there are so many benefits of AI. However, there are risks too with these tools and the rapid adoption of them,” said Alexandra Murdoch, Senior Analyst at GlobalData, in a statement.

AI systems in medical or healthcare often have access to personal and medical information, so there should be regulatory frameworks in place to ensure privacy and security. There are a number of other potential challenges with AI in healthcare, such as unethical data collection, cybersecurity risks, and amplifying biases and misinformation.

A recent example of biases in AI tools comes from a study conducted by Stanford University. The study results revealed that some AI chatbots provided responses that perpetuated false medical information about people of colour.

The study ran nine questions through four AI chatbots, including OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Bard. All four of the chatbots used debunked race-based information when asked about kidney and lung function.