When 17 Doctors Fell Short, AI Stepped Up: How ChatGPT Helped ...
In a touching display of the growing role of artificial intelligence in the healthcare sector, a mother in the United States turned to ChatGPT for assistance when 17 physicians struggled to identify the mysterious illness afflicting her four-year-old son. Despite the numerous consultations, it was the AI chatbot that not only pinpointed the rare condition affecting the child but also directed the family towards the critical treatment required.
Courtney, the mother of Alex, had been on a quest for medical answers for more than three years. As reported by TODAY.com, amidst the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, she started noticing peculiar symptoms in her son such as persistent toothaches, stunted growth, and challenges with balance and posture.
Despite seeking opinions from a plethora of specialists, Courtney was left without a conclusive diagnosis for her son's condition. Faced with this dilemma, she decided to explore unconventional avenues. She meticulously inputted Alex's MRI observations and all accompanying symptoms into ChatGPT. In a matter of seconds, the AI tool proposed a potential ailment: "Tethered Cord Syndrome", a rare neurological disorder impacting the spinal cord.
Acting upon the recommendations provided by the AI, Courtney connected with a community on Facebook consisting of parents with children experiencing similar symptoms, thereby corroborating the diagnosis suggested by ChatGPT.
Shortly after the narrative gained traction, drawing widespread acclaim for the capability of AI in aiding medical diagnoses, experts sounded a note of caution, emphasizing that tools like ChatGPT should not supplant healthcare professionals. They underscored that AI systems are still in a phase of evolution and could potentially engender chaos by furnishing erroneous information, a phenomenon known as “AI hallucination."
Subsequently, she consulted a new neurosurgeon who affirmed the AI's evaluation. This led to Alex undergoing a successful spinal surgery, with the young boy now on the path to recovery.
