The COVID-19 pandemic cast a harsh light on the weaknesses of public health systems worldwide. That has hastened the incorporation of artificial intelligence and machine learning into healthcare; these technologies can help anticipate and effectively address future health crises, and reduce wait times for medical care. AI-based healthcare could particularly benefit developing countries, where systems can often be inadequate. In the next few years, AI-based healthcare solutions are therefore likely to become increasingly prevalent. However, challenges such as data privacy concerns, uncertain levels of public acceptance, and patient compliance must be addressed. A carefully crafted ethical framework will be necessary for any system entrusted with vast amounts of personal data.
This briefing was created as part of the World Economic Forum’s Top 10 Emerging Technologies Report for 2023, which lists new technologies poised to impact the world in the next three to five years, and was done in cooperation with Frontiers – a publisher of peer-reviewed, open access scientific journals.
