I was previously employed at a HealthTech company called Cue Health, which develops point-of-care molecular diagnostics, empowering individuals to lead healthier lives. The value of the platform at Cue Health is such that a consumer doesn’t have to leave their home to take tests in the hospital, and then wait 45 minutes in a pharmacy line to pick up a prescription from the person who didn’t even prescribe it. The consumer can take a lab-quality test at home, connect with a doctor via a Telehealth application, and receive prescriptions delivered to their doorstep. The reason I’m telling you this is because the future of healthcare and healthtech is evolving rapidly, and I’ve been able to see it first hand. 10 years ago this solution would’ve been something from a utopian movie, but today it seems like something of the past. Now add artificial intelligence into healthtech and let’s just say shit is getting wild.

I came across an article today discussing a recent discovery made by AI. The title goes “New superbug-killing antibiotic discovered using AI.” Pretty important and significant sounding, right? Well, it is. The implications of this are much further reaching than simply a single news headline. The article merely speaks to the fact that AI has the potential to increase drug discovery efficiency while reducing costs. I honestly believe that AI has the potential to drive exponential progress in Drug Discovery and Healthcare, enhancing human life. However, there’s a downside to everything, and although there’s been much talk about AI regulation and the dangers of AI recently, I truly think the benefits outweigh the positive (even though AI suggested 40,000 new possible chemical warfare weapons in 6 hours).

Cons

From a lack of data privacy to inherent bias to reliability to job displacement, there are many aspects of AI in drug discovery and the healthtech sectors that are unfavorable. AI is only as good as the model and data it’s trained on, and if that data is biased or unreliable, then AI discoveries will be biased and unreliable. In an era of misinformation and faulty data, objectivity and fundamental axioms reign supreme; we need to be able to gain clarity outside of AI in order for AI to clarify the obscure, and provide novel solutions to age old questions. There’s a lot to be concerned with when it comes to AI, but the fact we [humans] are discussing regulation so early on is incredibly important and something that can’t be overstated.

Pros

I intentionally started with the cons so that we could save the best, and most truthful, for last; the Pros of AI in Healthtech and drug discovery. As we are already seeing, AI is making huge strides in these two departments. AI has the capability to increase speed and efficiency, improve precision and accuracy, generate hyper-personalized medicine, and lead to immense cost reduction. Should we be concerned that AI will create new chemicals for warfare that could have devastating effects? Yes. Should we be concerned that AI will discover new vulnerabilities in our biological systems or environments? Yes. Do I think that these negatives outweigh the potential positives? No. Listen, everything in life is going to have pros and cons, ups and downs; it’s the way life is programmed. Throughout history some pretty messed up shit has occurred, but at the same time, the positive indicators of longevity and the decrease in global absolute poverty serve to remind us that knowledge, technology, and innovation are driving forces for a better future. This is why I truly believe AI will guide us in the right direction and help us fulfill our true potentials.

Final Thoughts

We live in an era of fear-mongering, misinformation, and group think. At the same time, we live in an era of prosperity, well-being, and wealth (on average and globally). I think that if we dig deep and wade through all the bullshit on the surface, like political strife, social discord, personal biases, and we take a holistic approach to understanding the forces that govern our very survival, they will show you that AI as a future technology will revolutionize the world. It will usher in a new era of drug discovery, eradicating superbugs. It will improve human health and lead to better outcomes. And most importantly, it will allow you [people] to live your lives to the fullest, enhancing the human experience rather than destroying it.