Artificial Intelligence (AI) implementation areas are rapidly expanding. Already, this technology is being used to improve cybersecurity, manufacturing, education, and logistics. Applying AI to medical diagnosis has numerous advantages for the evolving healthcare industry. AI-powered software can detect whether a patient has a disease even before symptoms appear.
In healthcare, the useability of deep learning technologies to analyse images and recognise patterns opens the possibility of developing algorithms to assist doctors in diagnosing specific diseases more quickly and accurately. Furthermore, such algorithms can learn on the fly, improving the accuracy with which they guess the correct diagnosis. Therefore, AI-driven software can be programmed to accurately spot signs of a certain disease in medical images such as MRIs, x-rays, and CT scans.
To address this, the developer of a prototype app that uses artificial intelligence to diagnose pneumonia has won an international award. The AI company’s software developer created an image classifier for detecting bacterial and viral pneumonia using the Artificial Intelligence (AI) and cross-platform game engine services of a global cloud company, winning the international award for Most Valuable Professional Global Cloud Skills Challenge.
The AI service of the global cloud company is a portfolio of AI services designed for software developers and data scientists. The cross-platform game engine services are the most popular platform for developing interactive, real-time content in 2D, 3D, and virtual reality.
“Our software developer chose this project to contribute to fighting the public health emergency and help medical professionals diagnose lung diseases using AI,” said global cloud company’s MVP senior member on the Award Programme blog. “The world has changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020,” he said in a post chronicling his project.
“Medical staff around the world have shown bravery and resilience in the fight against COVID-19, and some even sacrificed their lives while performing their duties. As an ordinary person, as a programmer, I would also want to help.
“My first thought was to use the software to implement an image classifier that can be used for lung chest radiographs. In addition to the game industry, the cross-platform game engine can also play a role in other industries, so I think it is a very interesting idea to combine cloud AI and cross-platform game engine to create some features that help people.”
OpenGov Asia reported that AI will not only contribute to the education sector but also the health sector. AI technology is rapidly expanding into other healthcare areas, including early detection of diseases, treatment, and research. In the coming year, technology will continue to advance and play a larger role, especially as the world continues to be affected by the pandemic.
Data aggregation, updating patient charts, analysing tests and images to offer possible diagnoses, and other applications of AI technology promise to be useful. In a supportive position, the use of AI in health reduces physician workloads, allowing them to spend more time with patients and on actual patient care.
New Zealand has a robust and well-planned AI Strategy and a thriving AI ecosystem. The AI Forum brings together New Zealand’s artificial intelligence community, working together to harness the power of AI technologies to enable a prosperous, inclusive, and thriving future in New Zealand. It advances New Zealand’s AI ecosystem through connections, advocacy, growing talent and collaboration.
AI is already transforming the medical industry by assisting clinics in better organising their workflow, simplifying the diagnostic and decision-making process for doctors, and providing valuable lifestyle adjustments for patients. Industry leaders predict that not only will existing solutions for using AI in medical diagnosis be improved, but that new avenues for its convergence with medicine will emerge.
