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What if AI isn’t as great as we thought? What if its potential has been exaggerated to the point of being dangerous? Leading cancer experts in the NHS are raising concerns that the health service’s excessive focus on new technology is jeopardizing patient safety. As reported in our recent article:
Cancer experts warn that “innovative solutions” like new diagnostic tests are being falsely hailed as a “magic bullet” for the cancer crisis, but fail to address the root cause of cancer as a systemic issue.The authors note that a common misconception among NHS leaders is that new technologies can eliminate inequalities, when in reality, technologies like AI can create additional hurdles for those with low digital and health literacy.
“We advise against adopting a technology-centric approach without a thorough evaluation of equity,” concludes the paper.
The Lancet Oncology publication argues for a back-to-basics strategy for cancer treatment. Their suggestions include increasing staff numbers, refocusing research on traditional areas such as surgery and radiation therapy, and establishing dedicated units for technology transfer to ensure proven treatments are integrated into routine care.
AI may divert attention from these critical improvements. While the technology holds much promise for the future, experts are concerned that hype about future advancements may detract from necessary present-day changes.
The paper describes AI as the latest iteration of “bionic duckweed,” a concept introduced by Stian Westlake in 2020 to highlight the use of future technologies to oppose current investments.
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Source: www.theguardian.com
