To monitor or not to monitor?
A conversation on AI health surveillance with bioethicist Dr. Anita Ho


A sector where AI technology is rapidly expanding is health care. Back in 2011, IBM’s intention was to adapt supercomputer Watson from being a Jeopardy champion to a health information tool for clinicians. Initially programmed to identify word patterns and predict correct trivia answers, IBM’s learning technology at the time did not transfer well to the complex, ever-evolving area of medicine. One of the common issues was the lack of credibility this technology had with physicians as it recommended irrelevant or locally unavailable treatment options. The lack of support for Watson Health from health care providers led to several high-profile setbacks which eventually resulted in Watson Health being sold for parts in 2022. Nonetheless, big data techniques are increasingly used in health research settings, especially genomics. These applications are separate from general public use, but things are changing, especially in the area of health monitoring.

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