Google’s Med-PaLM 2: The AI Doctor on Duty

Welcome to the future, where Google doesn’t just answer your random trivia questions, but also your medical queries. According to The Wall Street Journal, Google has developed an AI tool called Med-PaLM 2, designed specifically to answer medical questions. It’s a variant of PaLM 2, announced at Google I/O in May this year, and is the language model behind Google’s Bard. The idea is to deploy this system in countries with limited access to doctors.

The Trials and Tribulations of Med-PaLM 2

The AI has been tested at the Mayo Clinic research hospital in the US, and while it shows promise, it’s not without its hiccups. Studies reveal that the system still suffers from some accuracy problems. Doctors found several inaccuracies and irrelevant information in the AI’s responses. However, the study also showed that despite these inaccuracies, the system is largely as good as actual doctors when it comes to showing evidence of reasoning, consensus-supported answers, or not showing any signs of misunderstanding.

A Matter of Data Privacy

Google asserts that users of Med-PaLM 2 will have control over their data, which will also be encrypted and thus not accessible to Google.

In conclusion, while Med-PaLM 2 might not be ready to replace your family doctor just yet, it’s comforting to know that Google is working on it. After all, who better to trust with your health than the company that already knows your search history, right?

Article Source: Link