Applications, opportunities and challenges of implementing artificial intelligence in medicine: a narrative literature review

Abstract

Artificial intelligence is being widely used in various fields of medicine. The aim of this review is to describe the main applications, opportunities and challenges of AI in medicine by providing an overview of the current context. An overview of the literature was conducted, identifying the most up-to-date and relevant information on the topic. The electronic databases PubMed, Scopus and SciELO were consulted, from January 2019 to March 2024, in both English and Spanish. Systematic and non-systematic literature reviews, scoping reviews, original articles and book chapters were included. Duplicate articles, unclear scientific papers, those of low
scientific rigour and grey literature were excluded. The implementation of artificial intelligence in medicine has brought remarkable benefits, ranging from the recording of medical information to the discovery of new drugs. It has generated a revolution in the traditional way of doing medicine. On the other hand, it has brought with it challenges in terms of accuracy, reliability, ethics, privacy, among others. It is crucial to maintain a patient-centred approach and ensure that these technologies are used to improve health outcomes and promote equity in access to care. Collaboration between healthcare professionals, researchers, regulators and technology developers will be critical to address these challenges and realise the full potential of artificial intelligence.