What Does Artificial Intelligence Mean for Oncologists?

Recent developments with artificial intelligence (AI) and cancer care suggest that AI has far reaching implications for the field. Such developments bring with them many ethical challenges for the oncologist. When integrating AI into patient care, oncologists can start with Beauchamp and Childress’ framework of biomedical ethics to consider ethical issues that AI can pose, such as challenges related to informed consent, preventing harm from bias, and the potential to reinforce structural inequities. In using AI, the greatest ethical imperative for the oncologist is to have an in-depth understanding of the technology being used. Understanding the AI being used in patient care will help oncologists navigate the myriad ethical problems associated with it.