You've done it before: Perhaps you have a weird rash or feel a little strange, something beyond the usual flu or back pain. You Google it, becoming part of the 75 million Americans who use WebMD each month to check symptoms, rule out conditions, or to go down a hypochondriacal rabbit hole (unsurprisingly, "cyberchondria" is a real thing).
According to a BMJ study, online symptom-checking websites provide accurate diagnoses roughly half the time, amounting to millions of people worrying unnecessarily or, worse, breathing a sigh of relief when something's actually wrong.
But what if artificial intelligence could accurately diagnose you—and save you a trip to the doctor's office?
It's not a crazy idea. The UK has integrated an AI-powered healthcare system called Babylon into its National Health Service, separating patients with urgent needs from those with more run-of-the mill illnesses.
And it's simple. If you type, "I have a cough and fever. What's wrong with me?" Babylon's AI will ask for more details and run through a list of other possible symptoms to determine whether you should go see a doctor or whether you can buy over-the-counter meds and send yourself to bed.
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https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-ai-doctor-will-see-you-now?
