Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare: AI, Machine Learning, and Deep and Intelligent Medicine Simplified for Everyone Paperback – 5 Mar. 2021

I’m sure we’re all somewhat familiar now with the concept of artificial intelligence (AI), with many of us relying heavily upon it in our day-to-day life in the form of our smartphones, smart home devices and even our online banking. It is clear that AI is simply a part of our life now, whether you like it or not, and we’re all becoming a little more dependent upon its use with every day that passes. While these typical everyday uses I can get my head around, something as complex as the use of AI within the healthcare system has been an area, I admit, I’d never really thought much about before. With news outlets presenting argument outlining the pitfalls of technology one day and singing their praises the next, it’s difficult to know whether this new future of AI is something to be pleased about or not, never mind throwing something as serious and essential as healthcare into the mix!It is therefore all the more impressive, then, what Dr Parag Suresh Mahajan has managed to create with this book – a detailed yet incredibly readable examination of the potential benefits of the use of AI within the healthcare system, myth busting and answering any questions you may have along the way. I’ll freely admit that I’m not the most technologically minded – there have been days when the simplest of computer tasks completely alludes me – but I had no problem at all following along with the author’s arguments, reasoning and discussion. It was a fascinating read and opened my eyes in terms of the many uses of AI and how it could be harnessed to better improve our healthcare systems. With public interest in health and wellbeing at an all-time high thanks to the widespread use of smartwatches and fitness bands, employing this technology further to create a more personalised approach to heath is surely the way of the future.From diagnosis to disease detection, prognosis to management, the author has expertly and succinctly explained the many ways in which AI can be used in order to better apply complex medical data to deliver a custom care experience for the patient. In this way, he explains, a completely unique service can be offered based on an array of factors, from lifestyle to genetics, creating a plan utterly unique and designed with the patient at the centre. This is a rather stark contrast to the ‘one size fits all’ approach to healthcare that we’re probably used to dealing with and reading about its potential use within healthcare was absolutely captivating. That’s not so say that Dr Parag shies away from discussing the potential issues as resistances to AI – whether it be the future of doctors and nurses, the invasion of privacy or the risks attached with using personal healthcare data in such a way, the author provides balanced and detailed responses to any myths or potential problems that may arise. I appreciated the inclusion of the possible negative side of AI alongside the good, which helped to provide a clear and well-rounded argument that I’m sure you’ll be thinking about long after closing the book.Overall, this was a fascinating and incredibly informative discussion into the uses of AI that will open you up to a new way of thinking about technology, data and the way in which it can be harnessed. Whether you’re already interested in the subject or you’d just like a little more information, this is a fantastic read that will, I’m sure, give you plenty to think and talk about. I highly recommend!

Very poor binding of the book. Pages are coming out. The publisher should look into this.

Very interesting book.