Ethics Grand Rounds – Artificial Intelligence and Patient Consent: Is Consent Really Possible?

Can patients provide adequate informed consent when the decision or recommendation comes partially from an artificial intelligence (AI) or machine learning (ML) system? This is the question often presented as one of the most significant concerns with the implementation and widespread onboarding of AI and ML in healthcare. The question revolves around whether, and to what degree, patients can understand what contributes to the decision-making process when an algorithm is involved. This session will discuss how a clinician-in-the-loop partnership can alleviate this type of concern for many applications of AI and ML, and why there must always be a human making the final decision when AI or ML is employed.