The Artificial Intelligence Dilemma: Navigating Ethics in Healthcare

Abstract

The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into healthcare represents a transformative shift towards more accurate and efficient patient care, highlighted by advancements in disease detection, treatment adherence, and patient interaction. However, this technological evolution introduces significant ethical dilemmas, including concerns over empathetic care provision, data security, and bias in clinical decision-making. This literature review critically examines these ethical challenges and proposes potential solutions to ensure AI's beneficial integration into healthcare without compromising patient well-being. The exploration into AI's capacity for empathetic care reveals its limitations to cognitive empathy, suggesting a complementary role to human providers rather than a replacement. Data privacy concerns underscore the imperative for secure handling and consent mechanisms in the utilization of patient information, amidst the risk of misuse by large corporations. Furthermore, the review addresses AI-induced biases, advocating for diverse data representation and algorithmic transparency to mitigate discrimination and enhance treatment efficacy across varied populations. While acknowledging the potential of AI to revolutionize healthcare, this paper advocates for a cautious and ethically informed approach to its adoption, emphasizing the need for comprehensive legislation, stakeholder engagement, and ongoing scrutiny to safeguard against the erosion of trust and equity in patient care.