The reality of artificiality: Addressing AI’s impact on healthcare and the fear of the unknown
21 Aug 2026
Claisyl Boteng Casiwan,* MD
(Editor's note: this article appeared in the 1st issue of MIMS Doctor magazine, 2026, in partnership with the Philippine Academy of Family Physicians, Inc. [PAFP].)
Humans can be quite bizarre, occasionally. Fear makes them irrational. It makes them think about things that are out of this world. That is what one gets if one has emotions, which cannot be said of artificial intelligence (AI). Thus, when AI suddenly came into public focus these past years, people started to wonder, “What in the world is it?”
Artificial intelligence. This name was only coined in 1955 by the American computer scientist John McCarthy who came up with a workshop proposal to explore the growing field.1 However, AI has been around in essence even before it was so named, beginning with the idea that artificial neural networks could exist, and that “computer systems could simulate brain-like functions and processes through neural networks and deep learning”.1 In simpler terms, one can think of AI as an instrument to not only organize data, but also to derive knowledge from it that will inform decision-making, much like what a human does. It was created not to replace the human mind, but to make human lives easier. AI is meant to help, not to disrupt. That is the idea, at least.
Rippling effects on healthcare
We have already embraced a highly digital world, and it is inevitable that healthcare systems are affected by AI.
AI was found to have a significant impact on healthcare delivery, specifically on “enhancing diagnostic precision, enabling treatment personalization, facilitating predictive analytics, automating tasks, and driving robotics”.2 In particular, this broad impact on healthcare delivery involves improving precision and effectiveness of medical imaging analysis, since AI can be trained to identify patterns and detect diseases in imaging studies.
AI also has what humans call predictive analytics, which is very important in health due to its capability to forecast future health outcomes. For instance, it can identify patients who are most at risk of acquiring noncommunicable diseases such as cancer and heart disease and even offer them individualized interventions.2
AI is also being utilized by doctors in various areas. In some countries, variants of AI apps are being used to summarize notes from patient encounters. Helping with documentation allows doctors to focus on patient interaction, which leads to better patient and provider satisfaction. Another function of AI is its ability to assist in writing, particularly in fulfilling academic and training research requirements, as well as creating clinical practice guidelines.3
The endpoint of all of these is not only to help individual patients, but the population as a whole. The goal is to guide healthcare providers, policymakers, and other stakeholders in improving population-level interventions in order to create more significant and lasting impact on health.
Possible pitfalls
The benefits of AI are obvious, but opinions are divided, understandably, especially in the health sector. People see it as a double-edged sword. The ethical use of its capabilities is put in question. To what extent should it be used to influence decision-making? How much should it contribute to how healthcare workers do their job? How can it determine right from wrong, since it lacks the empathy and moral reasoning that humans have? Ergo, if it were not kept in check, would it harm instead of heal?
For example, AI has apps that can aid people in identifying what disease they have based only on their symptoms. Such apps should guide them to decide on where to bring themselves for consultation. However, some people tend to self-medicate and avoid consulting altogether, completely relying only on information these apps provide. This over-reliance on AI may place them in danger, as critical inputs by healthcare providers are lacking.3
One more thing is how AI is trained by data from the past, which may lead to biases that would worsen already existing inequities in healthcare and pose risks to patient safety. Garbage in, garbage out. Let us say a certain patient from a developing country has a rare disease and the doctor seeks AI’s help. The knowledge it offers will rely heavily on whatever data there is in public, and due to lack of data sharing from certain parts of the world, the knowledge it relays and analyzes would be incomplete and may mislead or misdirect care.3
Clearly, AI is not perfect. Experts are working out ways to improve its use and application. Multiple studies are being conducted worldwide to assess whether it could “translate its algorithmic performance into real-worldimpact”.3 They have also recognized the urgent need to educate the general public, as well as equip healthcare providers with the knowledge and skills required to navigate AI’s world.3 It is not easy, given the numerous things that remain to be fixed in the healthcare systemin general. Can AI really improve health systems?
This fear of the unknown is valid, because we are dealing with human lives here, which are too precious to gamble with. It is not enough that AI was created with the noble intention of helping humanity. There are simply too many gray areas which are difficult to define, and there are limits to what it can do. It can communicate with seeming empathy and compassion, but it cannot have real emotional connection, which is what patients look for in their healthcare providers.
Hence, if it is any consolation, one thing is for sure—there will be no AI takeover happening, at least in the near future. It is, after all, artificial. It is not real, the way humans are real. Although it can evolve, it can never take the place of humanity in a million years, unless it will go mad and revolt.
*3rd Year Family and Community Medicine Resident, Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center, Baguio City
References: 1. Mucci, T. (2026). The history of artificial intelligence. Retrieved from https://www.ibm.com/think/topics/history-of-artificial-intelligence. 2. Olawade, D et al. Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare Delivery: Prospects and Pitfalls. Journal of Medicine, Surgery, and Public Health.2024;3:article 100108. 3. Laranjo L et al. Artificial intelligence in primary care: innovation at a crossroads. The Lancet: Primary Care. 2026;2(3):Art. 100078. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lanprc.2025.100078.
(Editor's note: this article appeared in the 1st issue of MIMS Doctor magazine, 2026, in partnership with the Philippine Academy of Family Physicians, Inc. [PAFP].)
Humans can be quite bizarre, occasionally. Fear makes them irrational. It makes them think about things that are out of this world. That is what one gets if one has emotions, which cannot be said of artificial intelligence (AI). Thus, when AI suddenly came into public focus these past years, people started to wonder, “What in the world is it?”
Artificial intelligence. This name was only coined in 1955 by the American computer scientist John McCarthy who came up with a workshop proposal to explore the growing field.1 However, AI has been around in essence even before it was so named, beginning with the idea that artificial neural networks could exist, and that “computer systems could simulate brain-like functions and processes through neural networks and deep learning”.1 In simpler terms, one can think of AI as an instrument to not only organize data, but also to derive knowledge from it that will inform decision-making, much like what a human does. It was created not to replace the human mind, but to make human lives easier. AI is meant to help, not to disrupt. That is the idea, at least.
Rippling effects on healthcare
We have already embraced a highly digital world, and it is inevitable that healthcare systems are affected by AI.
AI was found to have a significant impact on healthcare delivery, specifically on “enhancing diagnostic precision, enabling treatment personalization, facilitating predictive analytics, automating tasks, and driving robotics”.2 In particular, this broad impact on healthcare delivery involves improving precision and effectiveness of medical imaging analysis, since AI can be trained to identify patterns and detect diseases in imaging studies.
AI also has what humans call predictive analytics, which is very important in health due to its capability to forecast future health outcomes. For instance, it can identify patients who are most at risk of acquiring noncommunicable diseases such as cancer and heart disease and even offer them individualized interventions.2
AI is also being utilized by doctors in various areas. In some countries, variants of AI apps are being used to summarize notes from patient encounters. Helping with documentation allows doctors to focus on patient interaction, which leads to better patient and provider satisfaction. Another function of AI is its ability to assist in writing, particularly in fulfilling academic and training research requirements, as well as creating clinical practice guidelines.3
The endpoint of all of these is not only to help individual patients, but the population as a whole. The goal is to guide healthcare providers, policymakers, and other stakeholders in improving population-level interventions in order to create more significant and lasting impact on health.
Possible pitfalls
The benefits of AI are obvious, but opinions are divided, understandably, especially in the health sector. People see it as a double-edged sword. The ethical use of its capabilities is put in question. To what extent should it be used to influence decision-making? How much should it contribute to how healthcare workers do their job? How can it determine right from wrong, since it lacks the empathy and moral reasoning that humans have? Ergo, if it were not kept in check, would it harm instead of heal?
For example, AI has apps that can aid people in identifying what disease they have based only on their symptoms. Such apps should guide them to decide on where to bring themselves for consultation. However, some people tend to self-medicate and avoid consulting altogether, completely relying only on information these apps provide. This over-reliance on AI may place them in danger, as critical inputs by healthcare providers are lacking.3
One more thing is how AI is trained by data from the past, which may lead to biases that would worsen already existing inequities in healthcare and pose risks to patient safety. Garbage in, garbage out. Let us say a certain patient from a developing country has a rare disease and the doctor seeks AI’s help. The knowledge it offers will rely heavily on whatever data there is in public, and due to lack of data sharing from certain parts of the world, the knowledge it relays and analyzes would be incomplete and may mislead or misdirect care.3
Clearly, AI is not perfect. Experts are working out ways to improve its use and application. Multiple studies are being conducted worldwide to assess whether it could “translate its algorithmic performance into real-worldimpact”.3 They have also recognized the urgent need to educate the general public, as well as equip healthcare providers with the knowledge and skills required to navigate AI’s world.3 It is not easy, given the numerous things that remain to be fixed in the healthcare systemin general. Can AI really improve health systems?
This fear of the unknown is valid, because we are dealing with human lives here, which are too precious to gamble with. It is not enough that AI was created with the noble intention of helping humanity. There are simply too many gray areas which are difficult to define, and there are limits to what it can do. It can communicate with seeming empathy and compassion, but it cannot have real emotional connection, which is what patients look for in their healthcare providers.
Hence, if it is any consolation, one thing is for sure—there will be no AI takeover happening, at least in the near future. It is, after all, artificial. It is not real, the way humans are real. Although it can evolve, it can never take the place of humanity in a million years, unless it will go mad and revolt.
*3rd Year Family and Community Medicine Resident, Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center, Baguio City
References: 1. Mucci, T. (2026). The history of artificial intelligence. Retrieved from https://www.ibm.com/think/topics/history-of-artificial-intelligence. 2. Olawade, D et al. Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare Delivery: Prospects and Pitfalls. Journal of Medicine, Surgery, and Public Health.2024;3:article 100108. 3. Laranjo L et al. Artificial intelligence in primary care: innovation at a crossroads. The Lancet: Primary Care. 2026;2(3):Art. 100078. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lanprc.2025.100078.