Historically, artificial intelligence (AI) has been viewed as a disruptive solution that would displace several jobs across a variety of industries. Whilst those fears are justified, the reality of the situation has changed over time as AI technological solutions have developed and matured, especially within the healthcare industry. Whilst AI is now matching or outperforming human abilities in key healthcare tasks, such as diagnosing diseases, it has not displaced the need for human physicians. Rather, AI has provided significant value in empowering human touch aspects with increased accuracy. A feat that could aid in further transitioning the healthcare industry towards preventative medicine and a proactive approach to overall wellness.
With the high-touch nature of the healthcare industry, one of the major fears surrounding the adoption of AI technology was that this would be lessened or removed. After all, as AI technology was introduced into industries like manufacturing and retail, it did displace many jobs. However, within the healthcare sector, the use of AI technology has highlighted the importance of humans in the healthcare industry and is yet to threaten to displace jobs.
Although AI technology may be able to accurately identify a specific patient diagnosis and treatment plan, it's unable to view the overall context behind a patient’s health. The impact a patient's personal home environment, exercise, or dieting routine has on their overall health can’t be analysed by AI technology. It’s up to the intuition of a human physician to analyze the full situation and decide the best solution for the patient.
