AI in Healthcare: What's Actually Happening

Healthcare is one of those areas where AI hype meets genuine life-saving potential. I've been curious about what's actually real versus what's still science fiction. Here's what I've found.

Where AI Is Genuinely Working

The clearest wins are in medical imaging. AI systems are getting really good at spotting patterns in X-rays, CT scans, and MRIs. Not replacing doctors, but acting as a second pair of eyes.

A few examples that are actually deployed:

• Flagging potential skin cancers from photos so dermatologists prioritize those patients
• Screening diabetic patients' eye scans for early signs of vision problems
• Helping radiologists catch things they might miss on busy days

The common thread: AI as a tool that makes existing doctors more effective, not a replacement.

Drug Discovery Is Interesting But Slower

You've probably heard about AI speeding up drug development. The reality is... complicated. AI can definitely help narrow down which molecules are worth testing. That's genuinely useful.

But finding a promising molecule is only a tiny part of developing a drug. The long clinical trials, safety testing, regulatory approval—none of that moves faster just because AI helped at the start.

So: progress is real, but the "AI will cure everything" headlines are overblown.

The Stuff That Worries Me

There are genuine concerns worth thinking about:

• AI trained on one population might not work well for others
• The "black box" problem makes it hard to know why an AI flagged something
• Privacy of medical data used to train these systems

I'm optimistic overall, but these aren't problems we can ignore.

The Takeaway

AI in healthcare is real and genuinely helping, but mostly in supporting roles. The dream of AI as a doctor is still very far away. For now, think of it as better tools for the humans doing the work.