AI: From productivity dividend to better patient outcome

Abstract

Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology (CEO), Prof Justine Smith, wrote an editorial 'Welcoming artificial intelligence into ophthalmology'. 1 That is not that long ago but in view of the volume of publication on the subject of artificial intelligence (AI) in the intervening period, I feel another look at the subject is warranted. As she acknowledged, we at CEO are playing our part in this tsunami. Our ever-inventive researcher-authors provide us with one more innovative use of the technology after another, one of which is featured in the letters section of this issue of the journal. 2 In my role as an editor, I have the privilege of seeing a wide range of applications described in our constant stream of submissions. I see the same every time I open a table of contents in any other ophthalmology journal. With that overview, a few things are noticeable.The productivity dividend arising from AI for us in ophthalmology is clearly evident in the vast majority of AI innovations. We see it enhancing (if not quite perfecting) data collection, image analysis and image pattern recognition, and patient and health care professional communication. All of these promise to relieve those of us working in clinical settings of burdensome activity. [3][4][5][6][7] For researchers, the production of manuscripts is eased and trial design can be enhanced, data can be more easily accessed and analysed and literature searches are performed in seconds. Of course, the veracity of the product of research must always be the province of the human behind the research. Newer tools are emerging to address the problem of so-called AI 'hallucinations' or, in real English, errors in large language models. 8,9 The implied effect of this productivity gift is the freedom for us to move away from time consuming but vital activity. For example, if the machine will screen for a disease as effectively as a human, screening personnel are free to move to other tasks. 10 If a researcher takes 20 min to produce a reasonable first draft of a manuscript instead of 3 days, the same applies. The promise is that the new freedom will benefit not only the work-life balance of the professional but also speed developments and streamline services. 11