TY - JOUR
T1 - The underuse of AI in the health sector
T2 - Opportunity costs, success stories, risks and recommendations
AU - Pagallo, Ugo
AU - O’Sullivan, Shane
AU - Nevejans, Nathalie
AU - Holzinger, Andreas
AU - Friebe, Michael
AU - Jeanquartier, Fleur
AU - Jean-Quartier, Claire
AU - Miernik, Arkadiusz
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023, The Author(s).
PY - 2024/1
Y1 - 2024/1
N2 - Purpose: This contribution explores the underuse of artificial intelligence (AI) in the health sector, what this means for practice, and how much the underuse can cost. Attention is drawn to the relevance of an issue that the European Parliament has outlined as a "major threat" in 2020. At its heart is the risk that research and development on trusted AI systems for medicine and digital health will pile up in lab centers without generating further practical relevance. Our analysis highlights why researchers, practitioners and especially policymakers, should pay attention to this phenomenon. Methods: The paper examines the ways in which governments and public agencies are addressing the underuse of AI. As governments and international organizations often acknowledge the limitations of their own initiatives, the contribution explores the causes of the current issues and suggests ways to improve initiatives for digital health. Results: Recommendations address the development of standards, models of regulatory governance, assessment of the opportunity costs of underuse of technology, and the urgency of the problem. Conclusions: The exponential pace of AI advances and innovations makes the risks of underuse of AI increasingly threatening. Graphical Abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]
AB - Purpose: This contribution explores the underuse of artificial intelligence (AI) in the health sector, what this means for practice, and how much the underuse can cost. Attention is drawn to the relevance of an issue that the European Parliament has outlined as a "major threat" in 2020. At its heart is the risk that research and development on trusted AI systems for medicine and digital health will pile up in lab centers without generating further practical relevance. Our analysis highlights why researchers, practitioners and especially policymakers, should pay attention to this phenomenon. Methods: The paper examines the ways in which governments and public agencies are addressing the underuse of AI. As governments and international organizations often acknowledge the limitations of their own initiatives, the contribution explores the causes of the current issues and suggests ways to improve initiatives for digital health. Results: Recommendations address the development of standards, models of regulatory governance, assessment of the opportunity costs of underuse of technology, and the urgency of the problem. Conclusions: The exponential pace of AI advances and innovations makes the risks of underuse of AI increasingly threatening. Graphical Abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]
KW - AI in Medicine
KW - AI Law
KW - AI Policy
KW - Ethics of AI
KW - Regulation of AI
KW - Underutilization of AI
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85179329265&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s12553-023-00806-7
DO - 10.1007/s12553-023-00806-7
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:85179329265
SN - 2190-7188
VL - 14
JO - Health and Technology
JF - Health and Technology
IS - 1
ER -