THERE HAS BEEN an abundance of information regarding artificial intelligence (AI) over the last few years. With recent online tools for search, there is now more awareness of AI but, truth be told, it has been around for nearly 75 years.
In 1956, Dartmouth College hosted a conference that brought together experts to work through how machines could be used to mimic human intelligence (Trustees of Dartmouth College, 2024). Among the experts was computer scientist John McCarthy, who gave us the term artificial intelligence.
AI has been making strides to revolutionize how machines can be used to simplify activities that had previously required human action. Computers, transportation, e-commerce, and smart phones have been driven by AI. Unfortunately, each of these has been used in a nefarious way to illegitimately benefit someone, which has led to regulations and restrictions.
Today, there is more concern than ever that AI will be used in ways that threaten us. Hollywood has presented scenarios of machines taking over the world, which has brought elements of fear and concern for technological innovation.
As eyecare providers (ECPs), it is important for us to be at the forefront of legislation to protect both our patients and our practices/profession. Perhaps the greatest concern we have is that machines will take over our jobs and threaten our patients’ data and privacy.
As ECPs look at the innovations of technology, we can clearly see examples of machines replacing humans to accomplish certain tasks efficiently and accurately. When it comes to caring for patients, these two aspects should always come first, and ECPs should be willing to accept scientifically validated technological advancements that result in better outcomes for patients. For example, we have seen the advantage of retinal imaging rather than just dilation, topographical mapping rather than keratometry, and more.
As the population grows and patient health declines, it’s possible that there will not be enough providers to care for the aging population and ECPs will have to rely on innovating to provide better patient care. Machines with AI may replace some activities, making ECPs more efficient. We must accept this reality.
Protecting patients’ data and privacy will always be a concern, and it should be. ECPs must always be looking for innovative ways to do this. Over the last seven years, we have seen a transformation in data storage. My clinic moved to a cloud-based electronic health record (EHR) about 12 years ago. There was initial concern about data not being stored on a physical server in the office, but with the passing of time the comfort level with this has improved.
All too often, we hear stories about businesses getting hacked and data being hijacked. While large corporations that are cloud-based still face major threats in this regard, they also have information technology experts who are working full time to build firewalls that protect this data. Most are even using AI to protect the data from hackers using AI.
On a local level, this is very challenging. While office service-based systems are still common, more and more EHR companies are converting their data to cloud-based systems that may be still be at risk but, with the use of AI, may be safer than local storage methods.
Fear tends to be crippling. It’s important to indentify our fears, bring them to light, work through them, and protect ourselves by embracing innovation and using it to provide enhanced care for patients.
REFERENCES
1. Trustees of Dartmouth College. Artificial Intelligence Coined at Dartmouth. 2024. Available at home.dartmouth.edu/about/artificial-intelligence-ai-coined-dartmouth. Accessed 2024 May 1.
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