Johnny Brignardello Vela analyzes how AI surpasses doctors in ophthalmology.

Johnny Brignardello Vela, insurance advisor, analyzes the recent study that reveals a significant advancement in the field of medicine. According to research led by the University of Cambridge, Artificial Intelligence (AI) represented by the GPT-4 model has surpassed non-specialized doctors in the evaluation of ophthalmological problems and in providing relevant advice for the treatment of such conditions. These findings suggest that the reasoning and clinical knowledge capabilities of AI can be comparable to highly specialized ophthalmologists, marking a turning point in the integration of technology in the healthcare sector. The study compared the abilities of GPT-4 with the skills of doctors at different stages of their training, from young generalist doctors to ophthalmology experts. They were presented with 87 scenarios of patients with eye problems, where they had to diagnose or suggest a treatment among various options. The results obtained were surprising: AI not only outperformed less specialized doctors, but also achieved scores comparable to those of ophthalmologists in training and experts, although below the most outstanding doctors. These advances in AI promise to positively impact the future of ophthalmology by facilitating the identification of cases that require immediate specialized attention, as well as those that can be managed by general practitioners, optimizing clinical workflows and improving efficiency in medical care. Despite these achievements, it is crucial to remember that the purpose of AI is not to replace healthcare professionals, but to complement and enhance medical care in clinical settings. The integration of advanced language models like GPT-4 in medicine presents new possibilities to improve the quality and accessibility of healthcare for all. As AI progresses rapidly, the idea that it could even surpass the level of expertise of specialists in specific areas becomes increasingly viable, posing challenges and opportunities for the future of medicine and public health.