The Hidden Dangers of Medical AI in Developing Countries

Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming more prevalent in a variety of fields in many fields, including finance, education, manufacturing, and healthcare. AI is attributed with increases in efficiency, accuracy, and automation of many processes. AI algorithms are not as simple as typing in question and getting an answer, they have aspects of intentionality (Jack Karsten et al., 2023). With this intentionality, they can analyze data sets, as well as determine solutions. They are also extremely adaptable, allowing humans to solve complex problems more efficiently. 

In healthcare, AI is to make care more effective. It assists  with administrative tasks like scheduling appointments and navigating insurance claims. Using AI,  providers can allocate more time to patients rather than having to worry about administrative tasks (Tomberlin, 2023). AI is also used in medical equipment, such as glucose monitoring systems, which allow patients to acquire real-time data (All the Benefits Of Artificial Intelligence, 2022). In many instances, artificial intelligence is a vast and adaptive resource to the medical field, however, it still has a long way regarding its use in diverse healthcare settings, specifically that of developing countries. 

Healthcare looks very different country to country, with especially large differences between developed countries and developing countries. Firstly, artificial intelligence thrives off of datasets from which it can create the knowledge base to generate treatment plans and diagnoses. However, in developing countries, there are not may not be streamlined methods of harvesting many types of data sets. Hence, AI may not have adequate information to create diagnoses and treatment plans, leading to potentially misinformed diagnosis. Due to the lack of full-fledged data sets, treatment plans that are not applicable or feasible to a certain nation could be developed. This can lead to delays in treatment and a waste of resources. 

When we think of “technology,” we generally think of an unbiased platform that should objectively aid in diagnosis. However, this is not an accurate representation of medical AI. Tech companies in highly developed nations are developing these artificial intelligence algorithms and platforms are being developed in large tech companies in highly developed nations. The values, choices, and opinions of those who create data sets are embedded in algorithms, which can lead to improper diagnosis. For example, if an AI program was trained to over-diagnose or under-diagnose a certain skin condition in a specific ethnicity, this could lead to misdiagnoses and lack of seriousness where appropriate (Alami et al., 2020).

There are other dangers that are more nation specific, which developed, rich countries would not consider. Some countries are extremely controlling over women. For instance, if medical AI is used to diagnose or provide a treatment option that is meant to be confidential, family members or spouses may gain access to this information through a device. This is a risk that may not be prevalent in many nations, but it is present in some developing nations. Moreover, medical AI has the potential to be misused. If medical AI provides a diagnosis that is particularly stigmatized against in a certain nation, this information could be leaked or intercepted based on the method of delivery of the diagnosis. This could  lead to judgment and violence depending on the condition and area. Many conditions, especially in the mental health realm, are not widely accepted in many developing nations. Thus , data breaching in medical AI could put many people at risk and in dangerous situations (Alami et al., 2020). 

Overall, medical AI has the potential to be greatly beneficial to both developing and developed nations, but there are many factors to consider before its widespread implementation, especially in developing countries. 

References  

All the benefits of Artificial Intelligence. Western Governors University. (2022a, October 25). https://www.wgu.edu/blog/benefits-artificial-intelligence2204.html

Jack Karsten, D. M. W., Henry-Nickie, M., Sunil Johal, D. A., Okolo, C. T., Kerry, C. F., & Norman Eisen, N. T. L. (2023, June 27). How artificial intelligence is transforming the world. Brookings. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/how-artificial-intelligence-is-transforming-the-world/

Kelkar, G. (2024a, February 28). What are the challenges of AI in Healthcare? can they be resolved?. Emeritus Online Courses. https://emeritus.org/blog/healthcare-challenges-of-ai-in-healthcare/

Tomberlin, C. (2023b, December 21). Revolutionizing Healthcare: How is AI being used in the healthcare industry?. Los Angeles Pacific University. https://www.lapu.edu/ai-health-care-industry/#:~:text=As%20of%20today%2C%20AI%20is,in%20accurate%20and%20swift%20diagnoses