Building Ethical AI in the Real World

In the ever-evolving landscape of technology, the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) has become the most captivating frontier. Today, AI stands at the forefront of innovation, promising groundbreaking advancements across diverse fields: from healthcare to finance, and from autonomous vehicles to smart homes, its impact is palpable — and yet, we are only just starting to gain a grasp of the unprecedented technological transformation ahead. 

However, as we navigate this epic leap, questions about ethics, accountability, and the societal implications of AI increase. If you think this is just the politically correct thing to say, think again: the concerns about responsible development recently put the most powerful company in the field, OpenAI, creator of the chatbot ChatGPT, on the verge of total collapse. 

There are more questions than answers about what happened, but we do know this: on Nov. 16, Sam Altman, OpenAI’s CEO, was surprisingly fired by a board who believed that he was focusing on growth instead of prioritizing security, only to ask him to retake his chair four days later. The global tech community followed the tense development of events up close. Even industry tycoon Elon Musk urged the company to “say something” after Altman got his job back. Nitty gritty details aside, The New York Times got it exactly right when it said that “(...) In a larger sense, what’s happening at OpenAI is a proxy for one of the biggest fights in the global economy today: how to control increasingly powerful AI tools, and whether large companies can be trusted to develop them responsibly.”

As a visionary entrepreneur with over 10 years of experience building Mamotest, one of the most comprehensive and awarded health techs in Latin America, the question of ethics is particularly crucial: each of our technological advancements has the power to impact our patient’s experience and can make a literally vital difference. 

Even more so, since we have put AI at the core of our business strategy for growth and expansion worldwide, we understand that a truly ethical mindset can’t be relegated to the sidelines as a developmental constraint; rather, it must serve as the propelling force that drives innovation forward. And the only way to make this happen is by keeping ourselves firmly rooted in the real world, where the real patients face the real challenges that the actual healthcare system presents. 

So how do we build ethical AI at Mamotest? By letting this cutting-edge technology do what it is meant to do: clearing the path of complexities that can be addressed through algorithms and automations, so that, in return, humans can focus on doing what makes us unique and irreplaceable, even in the face of the most advanced machine.

AI is enabling us to democratize and revolutionize healthcare’s response to breast cancer like never before. From drastically shortened diagnosis times to automated searches that take just a few seconds to find the most convenient options for a medical study or a doctor’s appointment, Mamotest patients are navigating a more efficient, fragmented and transparent healthcare system that provides high quality treatment in the fastest way possible.

However, the secret to our success lies in preserving the human dimension of our unparalleled patient accompaniment and support throughout their treatment. Let me illustrate this idea with an easily relatable example: no patient, whatever his or her illness, ever feels better after delving into Google for information about that disease. On the contrary, those who have encountered health issues know from personal experience that, when our doctor explains the next steps of a particular treatment, accompanied by a genuine eye-to-eye connection, a steady yet calm voice, and an empathetic attitude, it can genuinely uplift our spirits, even in the toughest times. 

When it comes to a potentially lethal condition such as breast cancer, the stakes are higher than ever. It was just a few months ago that our team of oncology psychologists faced a particularly challenging case. Alejandra, a 35 year-old Mexican woman, found out she had breast cancer during her second trimester of pregnancy. Chemotherapy was essential, so her doctors prescribed an initial lower dose that would not affect her baby, only to increase that dose after the child was born. Still, accepting the treatment was a tough step to take for Alejandra, filled with fears regarding her baby’s health and her own strength to deal with cancer and maternity simultaneously. It was only through quite a few sessions of therapy that she could finally trust her doctors and feel herself empowered to embark on the process.

Emotional well-being is not only a supportive measure but also a potential game-changer in healthcare. The link between mental health and physical well-being has been extensively explored in scientific studies, revealing that psychological and emotional assistance can significantly enhance patients' quality of life, boost treatment adherence, alleviate stress, and potentially impact survival. All these benefits are only possible through a real human connection that helps generate positive thoughts and emotions, contrasting the fear, anxiety, pain, and loneliness that cancer brings.

Obviously, it is because of our technological innovations that we are now able to escalate our impact and accompany thousands of patients, without any loss of critical data and with the real-time response capacity each particular case needs. But, as technology enables us to excel at our operational level, it is up to our team of humans to face the real challenge: build strong connections with the patients based on trust, empathy and transparency, so we can help them navigate their treatment with the best chances of survival.

As a witness and advocate of the transformative power of technology in healthcare, I firmly believe that prioritizing the human approach is not a hindrance but a guiding compass ensuring our innovations serve humanity responsibly. As we continue to push the boundaries of what AI can achieve, let's ensure that this ethical vision is interwoven into the fabric of innovation. Only then can we harness the full potential of AI without compromising the trust (and the lives) of those it serves.