GenAI in Healthcare and Research: Promise, Concerns, and the Path Forward A significant portion of clinicians (79%) and researchers (80%) believe that AI will be a major disruption to society
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Artificial Intelligence (AI) is evolving rapidly particularly in the domain of Generative Artificial Intelligence after 2022. We have seen GenAI integration into various industries and sectors, especially in healthcare and research at an unprecedented pace. However, AI uses also make industry leaders worried about its misuse and biased results. That's why to get positive results, it becomes crucial to monitor the perspectives of those who are actively leveraging this technology.
As per the data presented by the 'Insights 2024: Attitudes toward AI' report, out of 3,000 professionals working in research and healthcare (clinicians) worldwide, 94 per cent of researchers and 96 per cent of clinicians believe that AI integration into their work will lead to faster knowledge discoveries. Additionally, 87 per cent reported that it will enhance the overall quality of their work, and 85 per cent of both groups believe that it will save time, allowing them to focus on higher-value projects.
The report surveyed 101 researchers and 42 clinicians from India and 41 per cent them are positive about AI tools, compared to 28 per cent in the US and 46 per cent in China. Additionally, the use of AI (including GenAI) is 22 per cent in India, while the highest use of AI has been noted in China at 39 per cent than in the USA at 30 per cent.
However, across the world, around 41 percent of researchers are more positive about the technology compared to 32 percent of clinicians. On the other hand, US respondents are less positive, with only 28 per cent expressing optimism, compared to 46 per cent in China and 41 percent in India.
Also, to maximize the use of Generative AI (GenAI) in their work, both groups expressed concerns—71 per cent expect that results should be based on high-quality, trusted sources and adhere to responsible AI principles. If these conditions are met, 89 per cent of researchers would use such tools to generate a synthesis of articles, while 94 per cent of clinicians would employ AI to assess symptoms and identify conditions or diseases. Additionally, 92 per cent believe that GenAI tools offer cost savings for institutions and businesses.
"AI has the potential to transform many aspects of our lives, including research, innovation, and healthcare, all vital drivers of societal progress. As it becomes more integrated into our everyday lives and continues to advance at a rapid pace, its adoption is expected to rise," Kieran West, executive vice president strategy at Elsevier said.
The majority of researchers (95 per cent) and clinicians (93 per cent) feel that AI tools could be utilized for spreading misinformation. Furthermore, 86 per cent of researchers and 85 per cent of clinicians are concerned that AI will cause critical errors in its results, leading to weakened critical thinking. A significant portion of clinicians (79 per cent) and researchers (80 per cent) believe that AI will be a major disruption to society.
"Researchers and clinicians worldwide are telling us they have an appetite for adoption to aid their profession and work but not at the cost of ethics, transparency, and accuracy," said West.
To address these concerns, GenAI technology developers should consider investing in enhancing the accuracy and reliability of AI, increasing transparency, and strengthening safety and security measures.
Along with them, institutions employing researchers and clinicians should establish clear policies and plans, communicate these effectively with the workforce, build good governance and a pipeline of expertise, provide comprehensive training and capacity building, and ensure proper access to AI tools, the report noted.
"This report has highlighted the steps that need to be taken to build confidence and usage in the AI tools of today and tomorrow," West added.
Indian industries are experiencing a significant digital transformation with Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning—expenditure is projected to hit USD 11.78 billion by 2025 and add USD 1 trillion to India's economy by 2035. In particular, the healthcare market in India is expected to rise from USD 14.6 billion in 2023 to USD 102.7 billion by 2028.
