Intelligence is the future – artificial or not

Here to stay

Although we’re talking about AI being the future, it’s important to acknowledge that it is already here. Indeed, the software has been integrated into various areas of our everyday lives, from the smart phones in our hands to the automatic features in our cars, the smart speakers in our homes and the robotic manufacturing process employed by various industries worldwide.

In healthcare, AI is changing the way that patients interact with service providers, with a level of automation now available to help individuals identify basic health issues quickly and easily. As we have seen in dentistry, AI-driven software is also enhancing diagnostic processes with the ability to detect and highlight abnormalities from radiographs and other imaging media. This particular feature is serving a useful function as a double check or as an objective report that supports the professional’s recommendations. In a profession like dentistry where we commonly have to work hard to earn the trust of our patients, this is advantageous in increasing treatment acceptance. There is also merit in utilising AI-generated reports to enhance patient communication and education, encouraging their engagement in their dental and health care, and compliance with clinical advice.

Though the technology is still being developed, there are clearly already massive implications for AI technology in the dental and health sectors today.

Managing development

In light of the vast inroads made so far, there are some – seemingly quite valid – concerns about how AI is developed from now on. For example, there are ethical implications at play. Some people have questioned whether issues of accountability and transparency my arise by using AI in healthcare – and whether the human opinion or AI-generated report would ultimately hold greater stead in a courtroom. There are also potential problems with data privacy where generative AI programs access personal information in order to identify patterns and predict future risks or events.

One of the biggest worries regarding AI right now and for the immediate future, is how to avoid and manage misuse of the technology. The more powerful the algorithms get, the more opportunity there will be for the malicious use of AI. Beyond privacy breaches, this might involve deepfake technology, autonomous weapons, job displacement, cybersecurity threats and widespread social manipulation. Even something as simple as bias in the information presented could impact society as we know it.

That’s why there have been calls for strict regulation of AI development, with recommendations for researchers and engineers to accept a responsibility for actively preventing the misuse of AI.[i] There is even going to be an AI Summit in London in November which, interestingly, is to be held at Bletchley Park – where Alan Turing cracked the Nazi World War II Enigma code. This event will bring together experts in the field to discuss the prevention of spreading misinformation by AI technology during elections, as well as the threat of technology warfare.

While all of this is well outside the remit of dental professionals, it’s important that we understand equipment in our practices and how it integrates with the rest of the world. Even a simple data breach could have a detrimental impact on our patients, on the professional team and on our businesses.

Humans still run the world

Ultimately, we need to be smart about what we use, when and how. A person could have access to the most powerful equipment in the world but if they don’t know how to use it then it’s useless to them. Similar principles apply to AI in dentistry – if we are to maximise the opportunities available, in a safe and ethical way, then we must first understand what we are dealing with. Right now, as long as the AI-assisted software is used in an ethical way, then the equipment is ethical. The onus is on the operator. Whether this remains the case in the future is yet to be seen, but for now, we are very much still in control of our patients’ care, even if utilising AI-assisted solutions!

For further information please call EndoCare on 020 7224 0999

Or visit www.endocare.co.uk

EndoCare, led by Dr Michael Sultan, is one of the UK’s most trusted Specialist Endodontist practices. Through the use of the latest technologies and techniques, the highly-trained team can offer exceptional standards of care – always putting the patient first. What’s more, EndoCare is a dependable referral centre, to which dentists from across the country send their patients for the best in specialist endodontic treatment.

[i] Brundage, M., Avin, S., Clark, J., Toner, H., Eckersley, P., Garfinkel, B., Dafoe, A., Scharre, P., Zeitzoff, T., Filar, B., Anderson, H., Roff, H., Allen, G. C., Steinhardt, J., Flynn, C., HÉigeartaigh, S. Ó., Beard, S., Belfield, H., Farquhar, S., et al. (2018). The Malicious Use of Artificial Intelligence: Forecasting, Prevention, and Mitigation. Apollo – University of Cambridge Repository. https://doi.org/10.17863/CAM.22520