Opinion | Knowledge Is Power: Will AI Democratize Medicine?
medpagetoday
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Contributed by: Sarah Richardson
Summary
This article explores the transformative impact of technological advancements on the accessibility of knowledge, tracing key historical milestones from the invention of the printing press, the rise of the internet, to the introduction of the smartphone. It highlights how these innovations have progressively democratized access to information, benefiting particularly the medical field by providing clinicians with immediate resources to inform their practice. However, it points out that despite this increased accessibility, patients often struggle to navigate medical information without professional expertise. The article anticipates a significant shift with the advent of generative AI like ChatGPT, which promises to empower patients by translating complex medical information into actionable insights, potentially revolutionizing how medical expertise is accessed and applied in everyday life.