Artificial intelligence – scary robots, or the future of healthcare?

When artificial intelligence is mentioned, the first thing that comes to mind is usually a domineering computer program bent on world domination – like Joshua from the 1980s’ cult classic WarGames, or maybe just an unstoppable metallic murder machine like the Terminator. The reality of AI is both less exciting and more relevant to everyday life – especially in health. There are already so-called health bots that can guide patients through their symptoms to reach a probable diagnosis and programs that can recognise abnormal scan results far more accurately than any human. AI may also make inroads into pharmacy, providing an easy outlet for patients to ask embarrassing questions or tracking the spread of antimicrobial resistance with inhuman precision. Pharmacy Today acting editor Jonathan Chilton-Towle interviews Simon Kos, Microsoft’s chief medical officer of worldwide health, about the potential of AI in health