Role of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in the Identification, Diagnosis, and Monitoring of Disease Conditions and Health Epidemics

Abstract

The emergence of high computing technologies terminates the era of previously reserved thought-making decisions for humans, because of advances being made in massive data capture and increased computer power. Artificial intelligence, a vast branch of computer science which creates a system that can autonomously perform human-desired functions intelligently and independently, has become a transformational force in the healthcare industry. Over the years, tremendous progress has been made in the use of AI in the area of disease identification, diagnosis, targeted treatment plans development, and, more recently, in crowdsourcing and monitoring health pandemics – as seen in the life-saving roles played in the recent world’s most destructive disease outbreak (COVID-19). From diagnosing chronic diseases such as cancer, to the development of surgical robots, drug repurposing, pandemic detection, and to even data management and administrative tasks, there are practically limitless ways to use this technology to deliver more accurate, efficient, and effective interventions at a precisely appropriate time in patients’ care. While the role of AI in the current dispensation cannot be over emphasized, this chapter discusses and summarizes the up-to-date role of AI and its subsets (machine and deep learning) in disease identification, diagnosis, treatment plans development, and, more recently, in crowdsourcing and monitoring health pandemics, as well as giving a future perspective.