Artificial intelligence (AI) has the huge potential to transform everything we know about healthcare. Perhaps that is why the companies using AI and deep learning algorithms are rapidly increasing. That is also the reason why tech giants like Google and IBM Watson are exploring avenues to dive deeper into the medical industry and find what advancements can be made.
Google’s Present AI Projects
Google’s parent company, Alphabet, currently has three major AI projects regarding the
healthcare industry:
- Verily Life Sciences – AI-based analytical tools, research, and partnerships with current healthcare groups under the umbrella of “life sciences”.
- DeepMind – emphasizes AI research in a number of medical aspects.
- Calico – focused on biotechnology and age-related diseases.
Interestingly, Verily has grouped with the Nikon subsidiary “Optos” to work on detection
methods for diabetic retinopathy using AI. Although AI is infused into Calico and Verily,
DeepMind is the one that holds the most relevance in current AI research and development.
Recent AI Developments in Healthcare with Google in America
While handling the data controversy in the UK, Google DeepMind also has been working to
bring AI advancements to America. Currently, G Suite and DeepMind are trying to solve the
ongoing issue of record complications and data breaches. The basic idea is to develop an
accessible yet secure method for patient medical records that adheres to HIPAA rules. Using
blockchain and cryptography technology, DeepMind can encrypt patient data while reducing
the burden of updating and transferring medical data through a network of healthcare
professionals.
The incorporation of cryptography and blockchain into AI will hopefully develop a more
trustworthy network, observing as how the major issue of data breaches and ethics has
already been touched upon with Streams. However, Google should have no issue developing
an algorithm that does for the healthcare field what others have done for information on the
internet and search engine optimization (SEO).
For example, G Suite will safely handle patient records by using a storage method that will be
HIPAA compliant. Since G Suite is “software-as-a-service (SaaS)”, physicians with access to
G Suite will have the ability to digitally store multiple medical files, like videos, scans, x-
rays, videos, and records.
Google Health and Mayo Clinic recently declared a collaboration to develop an AI algorithm,
in order to accelerate the process of planning radiotherapy for cancer care. What Google
brings humankind in the future will undoubtedly have a positive impact on healthcare and the
world.