Last May at the Google I/O, the company revealed its new PaLM 2 device, which uses AI technology to answer medical questions, summarize documents, and a host of other features. Now, Google has begun testing out this device at the Mayo Clinic and a few other hospitals.
Engadget reports the PaLM 2 “demonstrated features like ‘alignment with medical consensus’, reasoning ability, and even the ability to generate answers that were preferred by respondents over physician-generated responses.”
The PaLM 2 uses AI technology to learn through viewing test questions and answers from medical licensing exams. Google’s medical AI is already scoring 85 percent on medical tests. It can provide information quickly and, so far, accurately, though the device is still in a trial period. It’s essentially an AI version of all your medical textbooks at your fingertips.
“This model not only answered multiple choice and open-ended questions accurately but also provided rationale and evaluated its own responses,” said Corrado and Matias.
A plus for medical staff is PaLM2 can make paperwork a lot easier by taking the bulk of it off their hands. It can sift, summarize, and organize research and records.
Google is working on developing AI tech for medical testing as well, starting with ultrasound readings, cancer treatments, scanning for tuberculosis, and devising medical treatment plans.
Although these advancements are outstanding and carry with them the potential to help a larger number of patients, especially in areas with limited access to medical care, Google isn’t ready to take PaLM 2 out of trials yet.
“I don’t feel that this kind of technology is yet at a place where I would want it in my family’s healthcare journey,” said Greg Corrado, Senior Research Director at Google. ‘[The tech] takes the paces in healthcare where AI can be beneficial and expands them by 10-fold.”