What can AI do for occupational health?

Threats, opportunities and an ‘interview’ with ChatGPT

Summary:

Artificial intelligence (AI) is predicted to revolutionise healthcare – and that will include occupational health. In our first article on the new technology, we consider the threats and opportunities of AI for OH practice and ‘interview’ the AI chatbot ChatGPT.

Artificial intelligence (AI) will ‘transform all areas of life and stimulate the UK economy by unleashing innovation and driving productivity, creating new jobs and improving the workplace¹. This is the view of the UK government in its recent AI white paper. AI, it said, would enable the UK to become a ‘science and technology superpower’ by 2030, accelerate scientific research and develop life-saving medicines. However, it acknowledged that there could also be risks, and that some uses of AI could ‘damage our physical and mental health, infringe on the privacy of individuals and undermine human rights’.

Despite calls being made – including by medical and public health experts² – for a moratorium on the development of AI systems until the technology has been properly regulated…

John Ballard, editor

Author: Ballard J

Tags outsourcing

Occupational Health at Work August/September 2023 (vol. 20/2) pp19-25

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