Artificial intelligence (AI) has taken the world by storm and is working its way to Mississippi’s healthcare industry.
With the emergence of a new, AI-generated pill designed to treat COVID-19 being tested and considered for mass distribution, healthcare experts say it won’t be long before AI influences all forms of medical intervention.
Insilico Medicine, an AI-driven biotech company based in Hong Kong and New York City, recently announced that the drug has entered phase one of clinical trials, which is the first big step in the process of getting the medication to the market.
President-elect of the Mississippi State Medical Association’s Board of Trustees, Dr. Jennifer Bryan, believes the spiral is now in motion for AI-generated medicine to become a primary source of treatment by medical providers. She said AI’s impact on modern medicine could be revolutionary.
“Not only are we treating COVID with this AI technology, but everything,” Bryan stated on MidDays with Gerard Gibert. “It’s just amazing what can happen with this type of technology when you use it appropriately.”
However, the longtime medical professional expressed the need for regulations when it comes to AI-generated medicine.
“It’s something to get excited about, [but] AI needs guardrails,” Bryan said. “We’ve got so much sickness in Mississippi. We’ve got so many issues with the obesity epidemic. This is a positive thing for all of us to look forward to.”
Bryan asserted that AI is a cost-efficient model that will speed up the process of determining which drug treats a certain illness best. She further contended that AI will be useful in assisting regulators in bringing more treatment options to market.
“You can generate these therapies, so you can see where a lot of the expenses cut back with the computer doing the research for you about what would work,” Bryan continued. “It will predict probabilities of — that would work, that would pass phase one, two, three of clinical trials, that would even get approved — so you could decide if you even want to invest in it.”
Bryan and other healthcare experts are optimistic that the increasing usage of AI will have a net positive impact on modern medicine, especially in searching for cures for cancer among other prominent illnesses. At this time, it’s unclear how long the clinical process for the AI-generated COVID-19 pill will take.
The full interview with Bryan can be watched below.
