Alibaba Cloud ET Medical Brain

Chinese Advances in Healthcare AI

How Alibaba Cloud ET Medical Brain Is Transforming Healthcare with Artificial Intelligence
Developments in medical sciences have improved average human life expectancy over the years. Technological improvements have also made a significant improvement in processing, storage, and distribution of life-saving medicines. However, very few of the developing countries offer universal health care. Furthermore, healthcare services is not evenly distributed to the public and access to quality healthcare comes with high costs.

Why Artificial Intelligence Is Crucial for Healthcare
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to cut-down treatment costs by as much as 50%, and improve medical treatment outcomes by 30% to 40%, according to a report by Frost and Sullivan. But, before we start discussing AI advancements in the healthcare industry, it is important to understand what the technology is and why it is making so much hype. For the uninitiated, AI is an umbrella term for a range of technologies such as machine learning, cognitive computing, deep learning, neural networks, and natural language processing. The end goal of all these technologies is to impart “smartness” to computers so that they can behave in a manner akin to humans, or even better.

It is common knowledge that computers are adept at mathematical calculations. However, AI takes this ability to the next level. AI makes computers capable of complex human tasks such as understanding facial expressions, reading information in visuals/images, and using heuristics to find approximate solutions.

So how does all this help doctors? Let’s take the example of machine learning. Machine learning is a branch of AI in which computers analyze vast of amounts of data to learn and improve from experience. Researchers are now using different machine learning approaches to create systems that can predict, prevent, or even cure diseases. Unlike traditional software systems, machine learning attempts to do all this with minimal human intervention. This not only reduces manual work but also reduces human errors and biases. ..... "