Five Questions About Generative AI and Health

Generative AI systems such as ChatGPT and Dall-E are the first artificial intelligence tools broadly embraced by the public. They have been overwhelmingly popular; ChatGPT reached a million users within five days of its November 2022 release; and by January 2023 50% of Americans say they had seen AI generated text, and 12% had generated some themselves. Credible estimates suggest generative AI will produce >$1B in software and service revenue in 2023 and grow rapidly from there. This clearly disruptive technology engenders wildly divergent predictions about its impact, ranging from visions of wonder (and profit!) from its industrial champions to dire warnings of its existential risk to humanity. In this talk, Hunter will cut through the hype to address five crucial questions about this startling new technology: How does it work? Why does it work? What are its strengths and weaknesses? What is it good for (focusing on health and biomedicine)? What could go wrong? It is Hunter’s hope that a deeper understanding will ameliorate many of the most extreme concerns and suggests a path forward that reaps the potential benefits while managing the risks and guarding against harm.