Healing with Machines: Advancements, Challenges, and Ethical Considerations of AI in Healthcare

As the presence of artificial intelligence (AI) and automation increases in healthcare, many questions are raised about the balance between technological advancements in the fields and the quality of patient care. This paper explores the extent to which healthcare should be automated so that it improves the quality of care and while minimizing harm to the patient. AI powered tools bring many advantages to the healthcare field such as a more accurate and faster diagnosis and treatment recommendations, higher surgical precision, and the ability to reduce administrative burden by managing repetitive tasks. However, there are many concerns regarding the ethical implications of such technology, a lack of patient trust and transparency and the risk of skill degradation among healthcare professionals. In this paper we evaluate both the benefits and risks of automation to conclude how AI can best human healthcare professionals instead of completely replacing them in patient care. By analyzing AI's existing use in medical fields, future trends, and ethical dilemmas, this paper emphasizes the need for a balanced approach for implementing AI in healthcare in which AI's strengths are leveraged with proper human oversight.