Ongoing Research Project: Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare

Ethical Implications of AI in Healthcare

The application of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare, particularly in predictive diagnosis, raises profound ethical challenges. While AI holds immense potential for early detection of diseases, improving treatment outcomes, and optimising healthcare efficiency, these benefits must be weighed against significant ethical concerns. Issues such as patient privacy, data security, and the risk of algorithmic bias pose serious risks if not carefully managed. Moreover, the increasing reliance on AI systems to make critical health-related decisions risks reducing patients to mere data points, potentially stripping away personal subjectivity and the nuanced understanding of individual needs that human healthcare providers offer. Striking the right balance between technological innovation and ethical responsibility is crucial to ensuring that AI enhances patient care without eroding trust, fairness, or the human element in medical practice.

This research aims to offer a comprehensive exploration of the ethical dimensions of AI’s role in healthcare, with a specific focus on its use in predictive diagnostics. By examining the intersection between AI technology and patient care, the study seeks to provide clear guidelines on how to implement AI ethically, while preserving the integrity of human decision-making and safeguarding patient rights. Through theoretical analysis, case studies, and consultations with healthcare professionals and AI developers, the research intends to offer practical recommendations for creating ethical frameworks that mitigate the risks of data misuse, prevent algorithmic bias, and ensure equitable access to AI technologies across diverse patient populations.