Dr Yves Saint James Aquino1, Prof Stacy Carter1, Prof Annette Braunack-Mayer1, Prof Wendy Rogers2, Prof Nehmat Houssami3
1University of Wollongong, 2Macquarie University, 3University of Sydney
Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare has the potential to improve diagnostic accuracy, personalise therapeutic management and augment skills of healthcare workers. However, there is growing concern about biases in AI systems that can disadvantage already underrepresented and marginalised groups (e.g. based on gender or race). This paper reports the preliminary findings of a qualitative study that explores AI bias using perspectives from professional stakeholders working on AI applications in diagnosis and screening. The study involves in-depth interviews with healthcare workers, screening program managers, consumer health representatives, regulators, data scientists and developers. Our analysis identified three main themes on AI bias in healthcare, about which there were divergent views. First, views on whether bias is a problem in healthcare AI varied, with most participants agreeing bias is a problem (bias-critical view), a small number believing the opposite (bias-denial view), and some arguing that benefits of AI outweigh the bias problem (bias-apologist view). The second theme identified divergent views as to whether actions are required to mitigate AI bias, and, if so, who is responsible. Finally, participants disagreed on whether to include or exclude sociocultural identifiers (e.g. race, ethnicity or gender diverse identities) in the development of AI as a way to mitigate bias. This work is funded by NHMRC 1181960.
Biography:
Dr Aquino is a postdoctoral research fellow at the Australian Centre for Health Engagement, Evidence and Values (ACHEEV), School of Health and Society. He is a graduate of the University of the Philippines College of Medicine and holds a medical license from the Philippine College of Physicians. He completed his Master of Research and PhD in Bioethics at Macquarie University Department of Philosophy. His research interests include philosophy of medicine, bioethics and ethics of artificial intelligence. Twitter @yvessj_aquino