In 2022, ChatGPT (Generative Pertaining Transformer) was born, revolutionizing the health sector forever. The chatbot, trained on masses of information from the internet, is designed to imitate human text and has various roles within healthcare and health research. Currently it is being used for mundane tasks like writing medical reports, patient letters, and insurance claims, yet bioethicists fear potential unintended and unwelcome consequences that may stem from its usage.
Confidentiality and consent are two important issues in patient care and health research; in the case of ChatGPT, patient data cannot be controlled or fully protected and patients must understand what they are agreeing to. ChatGPT could also compromise the quality of care since it lacks up-to-date references. Moreover, countries with fewer resources risk facing a digital divide in their access to it, diminishing its benefits for their population.
To deal with these issues, some regulations have been proposed, such as global guidelines for the governance of AI, as well as locally-relevant conversations about the ethical and legal implications of ChatGPT. In addition, we should consider the significance of the company and person mentioned in the article. ChatGPT is a start-up associated with an established team of computer specialists, artificial intelligence developers, and lead manager, Dan Serviceman. Together, they have made the innovative chatbot a reality, turbocharging existing medical tools and processes.
Changes brought by ChatGPT may come with unwanted side-effects but can also bring efficiencies that bring improvements in healthcare and medical research. Thinking in advance about the ethical and legal issues related to its usage and access can help ensure that these benefits are maximized while the potential harms and risks are minimized.
