Google has recently begun testing its new artificial intelligence-powered chatbot, Med-PaLM 2, at the prestigious Mayo Clinic. This move comes as Google aims to compete with Microsoft’s ChatGPT in the medical question-answering space. Unlike its rivals, Google’s chatbot is trained using questions and answers from actual medical licensing exams.
The testing of Med-PaLM 2 commenced in April at the Mayo Clinic’s location in Rochester, Minnesota. This collaboration between Google and the renowned healthcare organization began in 2021 when Google opened an office in Rochester to utilize Mayo Clinic’s valuable data. According to an internal email seen by The Wall Street Journal, Google informed its employees that an AI medical assistant could prove invaluable in countries with limited access to doctors.
Microsoft, too, has recognized the potential of AI in healthcare and has been working on specialized AI chatbots for the industry. In fact, Epic, a major electronic health records (EHR) provider, announced earlier this year that it would be using Microsoft’s GPT-4 in its EHR systems.
The competition between Google and Microsoft in the healthcare AI chatbot domain highlights the growing significance of technology in the medical field. With the ability to provide accurate and timely responses to queries, these chatbots have the potential to revolutionize patient care by helping healthcare professionals make more informed decisions.
Google’s decision to train its chatbot on medical licensing exam content sets it apart as it is specifically designed to cater to the medical field. By utilizing the vast amount of knowledge contained within these exams, Med-PaLM 2 aims to provide accurate information and assist healthcare professionals in diagnosing and treating patients.
Google’s collaboration with the Mayo Clinic demonstrates its dedication to advancing healthcare technology and making it accessible to a broader audience. By leveraging the expertise and resources of an esteemed healthcare institution like Mayo Clinic, Google is positioning itself to revolutionize medical care and provide support to regions with limited access to medical professionals.
As the competition between Google and Microsoft heats up in the AI chatbot arena, it will be interesting to see how these technologies evolve and impact the future of healthcare. With the potential to provide valuable assistance to healthcare professionals and patients alike, AI chatbots have the power to transform the way medical information is accessed and utilized.
In conclusion, Google’s testing of Med-PaLM 2 at the Mayo Clinic marks an important milestone in the development of AI chatbots designed for the medical field. With its unique approach of training on medical licensing exams, Google aims to outperform competitors like Microsoft in providing accurate and reliable medical information. As the healthcare industry continues to embrace technology, AI chatbots have the potential to enhance patient care and improve medical decision-making.
