No Flying Cars Yet, Only the Intersection of AI and Digital Health

The future, you know? Flying cars, flying skateboards, flying people – everything up in the air. And there are our humble butler robots, just plodding along on the ground, the only things not flying.

That’s what people back in the day probably imagined for today’s innovations. Perhaps the movie Back to the Future had an influence on that. But hey, while we may not have actual flying stuff or robots cleaning our kitchen, some seriously cool tech things on the horizon might not get all the attention but are still pretty exciting.

For now, let’s talk about the intersection of digital health and AI.

Virtual Assistants and Chatbots

When it comes to technology that gives off an uncanny valley vibe, virtual assistants and chatbots take the lead in being the most human-like.

Let’s be honest. We’ve all bumped into chatbots at some point, even if we have actual friends or real people/co-workers to rely on. But that’s not the point here. To put things into perspective, a chatbot is a computer program that uses AI and natural language processing (NLP) to mimic human conversation.

Think ChatGPT. Everyone knows him – the star of the show.

But there are other chatbots that are more relevant to digital health. Here are a few examples:

• Cancer ChatBot – aimed at cancer patients, caregivers, friends, and family on Messenger.
• Woebot – uses cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques to listen and advise anyone who turns to the bot for help.
• GYANT – asks for symptoms and then sends the data to doctors.

Some people worry that AI will snatch away our jobs, especially in fields like content writing and development. But let me tell you, based on what we know, it’s unlikely to happen anytime soon. Take chatbots, for example. They can’t learn from experience, they mess up more often, and they don’t have that human touch of emotions and creativity. So, for now, we can breathe a sigh of relief!

“I don’t anticipate significant job displacement for humans in the near future due to the adoption of AI. While AI is an incredible technology, it is not yet advanced enough to completely replace human workers,” says Ilona Bernotaite, our Chief People Officer.

Now, let’s talk about virtual assistants, the ones made of pixels who strut through your computer screen with a messy bun, a steaming cup of coffee, and an amusing stack of freshly printed files. Don’t blame me, it’s the romcoms that paint this picture.

AI assistants have been with us for a long time now. I’m talking Siri, Cortana, Alexa, or others. But there are those that can be used in digital health. Here are a few examples:

• Buoy Health – an AI-driven virtual assistant that uses machine learning algorithms to assess symptoms.
• Fleming – Modern healthcare support with artificial intelligence for both patient and doctor (product of Kilo Health).
• Sensa – calm mind assistant for mitigating mental health issues (product of Kilo Health).

In the fast-paced world of emerging AI-driven technology, it can be challenging to keep up with the latest additions. However, staying informed and embracing these advancements can greatly benefit you working in the digital health field, or any other field for that matter, by providing valuable tools to enhance day-to-day tasks.

Bigger Digital Health and AI Innovations

I’m betting that one day we’ll have these awesome “robot nurses.” Picture this: they’ll crack jokes while robotically drawing your blood for tests. Okay, the big smart, and reliable sources are telling me that I’m wrong. So, let’s take a look at what might actually happen.

For instance, digital art techniques can now create custom, working biomolecules on demand. 

What?

Scientists have developed an AI tool that can design brand-new proteins from scratch. These proteins can serve as the foundation for groundbreaking vaccines, life-saving therapeutics, and innovative biomaterials.

Moving on from that to the realm of drug discoveries. Right now, the big focus in drug discovery is on AI technologies because bringing new drugs to market is crazy expensive, and most of them fail in clinical trials. So, pharmaceutical companies are teaming up with AI startups to get more bang for their buck. 

AI can go through tons of compounds and narrow down the options for specific drug targets. The coolest part? AI can even find completely new targets by spotting tiny differences between, let’s say, a healthy brain and one with Parkinson’s. It’s like AI is uncovering secrets that even scientists might miss.

But, there are things that need to be considered when implementing AI in digital health, as Kasparas Aleknavicius, CEO of Bioma at Kilo Health, explains:

“Although the recent findings that link AI and digital health are promising, we must also remain cognizant of the challenges and ethical considerations associated with AI implementation. It’s crucial to ensure transparency, accountability, and patient privacy when integrating AI technologies into our healthcare systems. We must prioritize building robust regulatory frameworks and fostering collaborations between healthcare professionals, technology experts, and policymakers to establish guidelines and standards that promote responsible and safe AI adoption.”

And that’s just scratching the surface of what’s happening with AI and digital health. But for now, let’s wrap it up here and catch you in the next one.

Or perhaps you’ve been hiding a mind-blowing digital health product made with AI in your basement? Bring it here and check out our co-found program.

Ugne Jakaitiene

Ugne is a creative soul who adores all things artistic — writing, reading, exploring new realms of knowledge, and sharing her discoveries with others.

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