Anticipations are growing for big data, artificial intelligence-based medicine but there are too many challenges to overcome when it comes to AI-based diagnosis, an expert said.

Na Hae-ran, a professor at Psychiatry Department at the Catholic University of Korea Yeouido St. Mary’s Hospital, said physicians’ judgment for ethical value would be crucial for AI-based medicine, during her presentation on “Ethical Use of AI-based Medical Devices” at a forum by the Korean Society for Medical Ethics.

Na Hae-ran, a professor at Psychiatry Department at the Catholic University of Korea Yeouido St. Mary’s Hospital, speaks on the ethical use of AI-based medical devices, at a forum hosted by the Korean Society for Medical Ethics in Seoul, Friday.

“AI is a tool, made of the limited information that humans have accumulated. I wonder we can rely solely on AI that technicians have made,” Na said. “We should not overlook the quality limit of big data.”

Na went on to say that having the technology and applying it to a patient were two different stories. “Simply making mathematical calculations and applying medicine is different. Doctors should keep in mind that medicine is not only about science but handling actual patients,” she said.

Some hospitals use big data services such as IBM’s Watson for Oncology to make a diagnosis or find treatment, but limitations in data collection could make AI-based diagnosis risky, Na noted.

“People who use big data and AI in medicine should be able to explain, from the viewpoint of patients, what the purpose of the medical act is and what kind of medical act will be most appropriate for patients,” she said.

Copyright © KBR Unauthorized reproduction, redistribution prohibited