Open AI recently released ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence chatbot that is capable of answering a range of health related questions. Researchers from the University of Maryland School of Medicine conducted a study to investigate the accuracy of ChatGPT’s responses when asked breast cancer screening questions. The study found that ChatGPT answered questions correctly about 88% of the time, however, certain responses were inadequate and riddled with inaccurate information.
The researchers tested ChatGPT’s responses to 25 breast cancer screening questions. Out of the 25 questions, the chatbot gave the correct answer 22 times and its answers were only slightly altered for the other three. However, one response was dated and provided outdated information. The chatbot also gave inconsistent answers to two of the questions. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has expressed concern about the technology, noting that it may lead to job losses.
Hana Haver, M.D., the study’s lead author commented on the results, saying that ChatGPT provided only one set of recommendations on breast cancer screening and did not mention differing guidelines set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF). Paul Yi, M.D., another author of the study, noted that the chatbot can give wrong answers that can sound convincing but there is currently no warning system to alert users of incorrect replies.
To ensure that patients are receiving accurate advice, Dr. Harvey Castro, a specialist in artificial intelligence in healthcare, emphasised that a doctor should always vet the chatbot’s responses. Sanjeev Agrawal of LeanTaaS also sees the potential for ChatGPT to be a helpful resource for patients, however, he noted that the 88% accuracy rate is still considerably lower than is desired when screening for cancer.
Open AI is a San Francisco-based, technology company founded by Sam Altman. Its mission is to promote the development of “friendly AI” that will benefit all of humanity and minimize potential risks associated with artificial intelligence. OpenAI works to develop AI agents that can operate in dynamic and complex environments and focuses on creating general artificial intelligence.
Sam Altman is the CEO of OpenAI, the leading artificial intelligence research company. He is a former president of Y Combinator, a startup accelerator program, and a venture capitalist. He is a proponent of artificial intelligence and was one of the early investors in machine learning and artificial intelligence related startups. He has had investments in companies such as Reddit, Airbnb, Dropbox, and Instacart.
