Nine years ago, AI pioneer Jeffrey Hinton sent shockwaves through medicine by declaring that AI would exterminate radiologists in a short period of time. Experts who fast forward and do more than analyse images are thriving, the New York Times observes. In fact, the sector is experiencing explosive growth amid the impending workforce crisis. (According to forecasts from the American Association of Medical Colleges, the US will face an astounding shortage of up to 42,000 radiologists and other physician experts by 2033.)
Rather than stealing the work, AI has become a secret weapon for radiologists, measuring organs instantly, automatically flagging them abnormally, allowing diseases to be detected several years before traditional methods. Mayo Clinic, which has seen a 55% surge in the number of radiologists since Hinton’s forecast, now includes a team of 40 people, including AI scientists, researchers, analysts and developers who have approved and developed over 250 AI models, from tissue analysts to disease predictors.
“Five years from now, not using AI will be a medical malpractice,” said John Halamka, president of Mayo Clinic Platform, which oversees Health System’s digital initiative.