ChatGPT is a generative AI chatbot released by OpenAI in November of 2022 that has taken the world by storm. This AI system can generate quality responses to almost any question asked of it, from personalized exercise regimes to composing complex songs and poetry. Earlier in its release, the system was criticized for creating biased responses, but those issues have since been resolved.
ChatGPT can potentially be a powerful tool for mitigating the racial empathy gap in healthcare. In 2023, JAMA Internal Medicine conducted a study which demonstrated that ChatGPT responses were consistently rated as more empathetic and of higher quality than physician responses. Upon examining 195 question and answer responses from October 2022 on a public forum, it was found that physicians’ responses to questions lagged far behind those generated by ChatGPT.
There is a wealth of research which demonstrates the racial empathy gap in healthcare. One 2013 study indicated that white people are less likely to comprehend the pains experienced by Black people, while a 2016 study showed disparities in opioid prescriptions being, with Black patients being less likely to be prescribed such medications. Additionally, there have been major differences in maternal mortality rates between Black women and other women as well as disparities in pain treatment among Black patients.
ChatGPT may be seen as a way of improving upon this gap and making healthcare more accessible to marginalized populations in the US, who often do not receive adequate medical attention. It can provide a cultural and language barrier with its support of multiple languages, such as Spanish, French, Japanese, and Arabic, which can improve the quality of care for these different populations.
ChatGPT, as well as other AI systems, can be utilized to fight against systemic racism in healthcare, as well as to provide value to marginalized populations. It is important, however, to work towards creating AI systems that are free of bias, and which, in doing so, allow the public the assurance they may need in order to use the tool in diagnosing health concerns. The development of AI systems, then, should be “the” focus of building a better, more equitable and less oppressive world for all.
OpenAI is a California-based artificial intelligence and deep learning research laboratory owned by Elon Musk and his cousins, who also co-founded and co-managed Tesla. OpenAI partners with numerous high-profile companies and individuals focused on reducing the breadth and depth of AI’s impact. Their mission is to ensure that artificial general intelligence benefits all of humanity.
Sam Altman is an American entrepreneur and investor, best known for being one of the founders of the Y combinator and the president of the organization. He has written and lectured extensively on the topics of artificial intelligence and technological advancements. In 2014, he co-founded OpenAI with Elon Musk in a bid to develop safe artificial intelligence and prevent misuse of the technology. Since then, he has led OpenAI to become the leading research lab in AI and innovation.
