Artificial intelligence in healthcare: Balancing potential and ethical considerations

Amidst the accolades from data scientists and entrepreneurs lauding the capabilities of artificial intelligence (AI) in revolutionising modern healthcare, a more subdued contingent remains cautiously reserved. Despite AI’s existing role in areas like triage and electronic health records, concerns loom regarding its evolving dominance in decision-making. Issues revolve around the potential shift away from human judgement, emphasising the need for transparency, regulation, and ethical considerations. The narrative touches on the clash between the clinical practice’s time constraints and the necessity for individualised patient care. It emphasises the importance of values-based practice (VBP) in shared decision-making, suggesting AI could support clinicians by amalgamating evidence and patient values. The narrative contends that fostering this synergy is pivotal to maintaining patient-centred healthcare amidst AI’s rapid advancements.

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