Introduction :
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a branch of computer science with an extensive and diversified scope, concerned with building intelligent machines capable of performing tasks that typically require human intelligence. These include automated systems for visual perception, speech recognition, decision-making, and language translation. AI is an interdisciplinary field.
Healthcare systems today generate a vast amount of data, making AI increasingly relevant in the healthcare sector. Several types of AI are already being used by healthcare providers and payers. Key application areas include patient engagement and adherence, diagnosis, treatment recommendations, drug discovery, and administrative tasks.
The term “Artificial Intelligence” was first introduced in 1956 when the American computer scientist John McCarthy and colleagues organized the Dartmouth Conference. Earlier developments such as Alan Turing’s proposed Turing Test and Dietrich Prinz’s chess-playing program also contributed to the foundation of AI.
AI systems in healthcare typically follow a pattern where large datasets are processed using machine learning algorithms to generate insights and solutions. These systems assist in matching patient symptoms with appropriate physicians, disease diagnosis and prognosis, drug discovery, and language translation.