A recent study presented at the European Respiratory Society in Austria has revealed that ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence language model, demonstrates superior performance in diagnosing respiratory diseases compared to trainee doctors. This finding marks a significant milestone in the integration of AI technology in healthcare, a field that has been evolving since the first computer-aided diagnosis system was developed in the 1960s.
The research, conducted by Dr. Manjith Narayanan from the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People in Edinburgh, compared the diagnostic abilities of AI chatbots with those of junior medical professionals. Ten trainee doctors with less than four months of clinical experience in pediatrics were tasked with solving complex respiratory scenarios within an hour, using internet resources but not AI chatbots.
The study's results showed that ChatGPT version 3.5 achieved the highest score, exhibiting more human-like responses compared to other AI models. Interestingly, Google's Bard, launched on March 21, 2023, outperformed human participants in certain aspects, while Microsoft's Bing, released on February 7, 2023, matched the performance of trainee doctors.
Dr. Narayanan emphasized the potential applications of these AI tools in medicine, stating:
"These tools have several potential applications in medicine. My motivation to carry out this research was to assess how well large language modules (LLMs) are able to assist clinicians in real life."
The study did not identify any clear instances of AI "hallucinations" - a term popularized around 2022 referring to AI-generated false information. However, both AI models and trainee doctors occasionally provided irrelevant answers, highlighting the need for continued refinement in both human and artificial diagnostic processes.
Public perception of AI in healthcare appears to be positive. A survey released in July by the Health Foundation, an organization established in 1998, revealed that over half of the UK public and three-quarters of NHS staff support the use of AI in patient care. However, concerns remain about AI's inability to show genuine empathy or kindness, which are considered crucial aspects of healthcare.
Professor Hilary Pinnock from the University of Edinburgh, one of the oldest universities in the English-speaking world founded in 1582, commented on the study's implications:
"It is encouraging, but maybe also a bit scary, to see how a widely available AI tool like ChatGPT can provide solutions to complex cases of respiratory illness in children. It certainly points the way to a brave new world of AI-supported care."
As AI continues to advance in the medical field, with the World Health Organization establishing its first AI advisory group in 2021, researchers like Dr. Narayanan are planning further studies. These will involve testing chatbots against more experienced doctors and exploring newer, more advanced language models, building upon the groundwork laid since the term "artificial intelligence" was first coined by John McCarthy in 1956.
This study not only showcases the potential of AI in healthcare but also raises important questions about the future role of technology in medical diagnosis and treatment. As we approach the 76th anniversary of the NHS, established in 1948, the integration of AI in healthcare represents a new frontier in the ongoing evolution of medical practice.