Scientist Lara Lloret is revolutionizing the field of particle physics by shifting her focus to artificial intelligence applied to medicine. In the last decade, AI has seen significant growth and is becoming a critical tool for developing personalized treatments. Lloret and researcher Miriam Cobo have co-authored a book discussing the challenges and potential of AI in healthcare.
In a recent interview with EFE, Lloret and Cobo emphasized that AI has been around since the 1950s but has seen a surge in advancements with deep learning and improved computational resources. They explained how AI algorithms are trained, comparing the process to recalibrating aim while shooting at a fairground booth. AI learns from past mistakes and continuously improves its performance.
The impact of AI in healthcare is already evident at Valdecilla hospital, where AI tools have streamlined treatment planning for cancer patients. In addition, Cobo’s research focuses on improving lung cancer screening by identifying new biomarkers using protein and imaging data.
The development of AI in healthcare in Spain is comparable to other European countries, although the United States leads the way due to more lenient approval processes. There is a growing emphasis on ensuring the reliability and effectiveness of AI algorithms for clinical use.
Lloret addressed concerns about biases in AI, noting that biases are inherent in the data that is used to train the algorithms. Despite this, she emphasized the potential of AI to improve healthcare outcomes and encouraged embracing the technology‘s benefits cautiously.
While there is still a learning curve with AI adoption, Lloret highlighted the importance of utilizing AI tools to enhance medical practices and improve patient care. She urged for a thoughtful approach to integrating AI into various fields, including medicine, for the betterment of society.