Time moves faster than we often realize. Whether we like it or not, our world is always changing — and every day, new ideas are reshaping the way we live. So, when I hear about the huge shifts happening in healthcare thanks to AI and technology, I shouldn’t be surprised.

But here I am, still amazed — and honestly a little confused by how we got to this point. It feels like we’re in the middle of a revolution that’s as exciting as it is morally complicated.

Artificial intelligence should never be underestimated, but the idea of robots in healthcare is slightly harrowing to think about; nevertheless, I do believe that it has greater potential.

Usually we hear so much about artificial intelligence in school, how people use it to cheat, write their essays, and eventually come to a point in their lives where programs like ChatGPT, Copilot, and Gemini are essential in their daily lives. Sure, AI is helpful, but it is nice to think that it can be of use in the real world and help save lives.

We’re seeing a growing demand for people skilled in software, coding, and machine learning and not as much hype around healthcare careers. But maybe that gap isn’t a problem. Maybe it’s a bridge. It’s not impossible to imagine a future where robots assist in surgeries, or algorithms detect diseases faster than doctors can.

Now, at this point, there is a very controversial question out there about artificial intelligence and robots replacing the human workforce. But for any AI innovations to come about in healthcare, we still need the intelligence of the human mind. This just goes to show how much AI can actually depend on humans. (Crazy to think from this view, cause we keep hearing articles about AI taking over jobs.)

This is a switch in perspective.

It’s a valid concern regardless, but the goal of using AI in healthcare is not to name it “Doctor 2.0.” Instead, the purpose is to make the process of treating patients more effective while still keeping the element of human interaction.

So what I am trying to tell you is this: replacing humans is not the goal; it’s about helping us provide what is necessary for the patient to live. Life may not be guaranteed through the use of artificial intelligence, but the chances could be amplified.

There’s potential for AI to be more than a shortcut for homework or a replacement for search engines. It could be one of the most important tools for saving lives.

Right now, AI isn’t responsible for many surgeries; its primary role in healthcare is diagnosis. And that’s actually a great place to start. Diagnosing patients is often one of the most difficult parts of medicine, and having an AI assistant can significantly improve the chances of identifying a disease, disorder, or condition accurately.

To really understand the impact of this, we have to look at the numbers.

According to the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, in the United States alone, over 795,000 Americans are harmed each year by diagnostic errors.

That’s nearly 800,000 people affected not because of a surgical mistake, but because something went wrong in the process of diagnosing them. Now I am not saying that AI will reduce the number of people that are harmed by false diagnoses, but I am saying that the chances of it are higher. It is better to try than just to give up, is it not?

For example, DxGPT is a free resource available to doctors to help diagnose patients, and websites like Symptomate can help people at home self-diagnose. There are so many more similar sites out there that are being used to help people at home, giving them quick access to information that might otherwise take days to get from a clinic visit. Now, while this isn’t the most reliable source to use, especially for serious conditions, it can still help people who just want to gain a deeper insight, ease anxiety, or have something more concrete to discuss with their doctors. Again, it’s not about replacing professionals; it’s about making people feel a little more informed and prepared. Awareness can be key.

Getting to the ethical side of artificial intelligence in healthcare can be pretty tricky. It’s honestly one of the most talked about and debated parts of using new technology in the medical world — and it makes sense why. We’re talking about real people’s lives here. What happens if a machine gets something wrong? Who’s responsible? There’s also the issue of privacy, data, and whether we can even trust AI to make choices that used to be made by actual doctors. It’s a lot to think about, and it’s not as simple as just plugging in a program and hoping for the best. Life would have been a lot easier if this was the case, but sadly it’s not.

Trusting AI is a whole other story. If you were a patient, it would be like letting a machine decide if you live or die. Every single thing the machine does can either increase your chance of living or decrease it. This type of risk is something people don’t like getting tangled up in, and if your survival depends on a robot precisely cutting this piece of skin…I would probably panic.

From another standpoint, artificial intelligence doing surgeries can be a plus. Robots are very logical, number-heavy, and powered by code, so a myriad of intricate things are part of their system. Every movement they do is exact and measured, and this can be beneficial in surgeries. Humans aren’t perfect, and mistakes are basically something we humans do literally every day. So the question is, “Can’t doctors make mistakes that can take someone’s life?” And it is a very valid concern. And I believe that this is another side of the cautionary tale of AI. It’s not just about whether AI is better or worse than humans — it’s about knowing the risks and benefits of both, and figuring out where they can support each other.

So again, instead of us humans focusing solely on the idea that AI could replace human jobs, why don’t we ever stop to think that AI could actually help enhance the outcome of those jobs? What if it’s not about competition, but about collaboration? Working together, AI and humans might actually be unstoppable. Of course, diving into every single ethical question society has about artificial intelligence would be overwhelming, but I hope I’ve at least touched on one that matters. At the end of the day, it’s not about fearing the future; it’s about shaping it in a way that helps people, saves lives, and brings out the best in both machines and humans.

Thanks for reading. If this made you think, laugh, or stare at the wall for a bit, I’ve done my job. I’ll let you decide whether it meant something. Most things do.

References:

Bajwa, J., Munir, U., Nori, A., & Williams, B. (2021). Artificial intelligence in healthcare: Transforming the practice of medicine. Future Healthcare Journal, 8(2), 188–194. NCBI. https://doi.org/10.7861/fhj.2021-0095

Barney, J. (2024, November 13). Does AI Improve Doctors’ Diagnoses? Study Finds Out. UVA Health Newsroom. https://newsroom.uvahealth.com/2024/11/13/does-ai-improve-doctors-diagnoses-study-finds-out/

Davis, C. (2023, July 17). Report Highlights Public Health Impact of Serious Harms From Diagnostic Error in U.S. Www.hopkinsmedicine.org. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/newsroom/news-releases/2023/07/report-highlights-public-health-impact-of-serious-harms-from-diagnostic-error-in-us

Farhud, D., & Zokaei, S. (2021). Ethical issues of artificial intelligence in medicine and healthcare. Iranian Journal of Public Health, 50(11), 1–5. https://doi.org/10.18502/ijph.v50i11.7600

Harward, H. (2023, March 7). Why is Diagnosing So Hard? — Healthcare and Medical News for Atlanta Physicians. Healthcare and Medical News for Atlanta Physicians. https://mdatl.com/2023/03/why-is-diagnosing-so-hard/

Kurtzweil, J. (2025). New AI model draws treasure maps to diagnose disease. Default. https://beckman.illinois.edu/news/article/2024/03/04/new-ai-model-draws-treasure-maps-to-diagnose-disease

McCartney, J. (2023, June 7). AI Is Poised to “Revolutionize” Surgery. ACS; American College of Surgeons. https://www.facs.org/for-medical-professionals/news-publications/news-and-articles/bulletin/2023/june-2023-volume-108-issue-6/ai-is-poised-to-revolutionize-surgery/