JDL Bioethics Consulting, 385 Lake Shore Drive, Pleasantville, NY 10570, United States of America.
Early Hum Dev. 2024 Nov;198:106130. doi: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2024.106130. Epub 2024 Oct 10.
Artificial intelligence (AI) and synthetic biology will transform civilization. The only question is how. In this paper, I explore some recent developments in medical AI, genomics, and synthetic biology. I speculate about the implications of these technologies for the practice of medicine and conclude that they will fundamentally alter our ideas of health, disease, medicine, and what it means to be human. I have three conclusions. First, AI and synthetic biology will force us to examine whether humanistic skills can be uniquely human and, if so, whether they are skills or natural gifts. AI will offer opportunities to examine what we mean by empathy, how we develop skills in communication, and when the human touch is essential for healing. Second, these technologies will change the ways that we will assess the value of doctors' work. Skills that can be mechanized will be devalued and delegated to machines. Doctors will either need to learn new skills or become irrelevant. Finally, AI and synthetic biology will force us to deeply examine what it means to be human. For humans to remain uniquely valuable, we will need to develop those aspects of our humanity that cannot be mechanized. Doctors will need to carefully attune themselves to the non-physical aspects of disease and suffering. Ultimately, AI and synthetic biology will force us to redesign both or systems of medical education and the systems of health care delivery in ways that meet both the medical and non-medical needs of patients.
人工智能（AI）和合成生物学将改变文明。唯一的问题是如何改变。本文探讨了医学人工智能、基因组学和合成生物学的一些最新发展。我推测了这些技术对医学实践的影响，并得出结论，它们将从根本上改变我们对健康、疾病、医学以及人类的概念。我得出三个结论。首先，AI 和合成生物学将迫使我们审视人文技能是否可以独一无二地属于人类，如果是这样，它们是技能还是天赋。AI 将为我们提供机会，检验我们对同理心的理解，研究我们如何发展沟通技巧，以及何时人类的触摸对治疗至关重要。其次，这些技术将改变我们评估医生工作价值的方式。可以机械化的技能将贬值并委托给机器。医生要么需要学习新技能，要么变得无关紧要。最后，AI 和合成生物学将迫使我们深入审视人类的含义。为了使人类保持独特的价值，我们需要发展我们人性中无法机械化的方面。医生需要仔细关注疾病和痛苦的非物质方面。最终，AI 和合成生物学将迫使我们重新设计医学教育和医疗保健提供系统，以满足患者的医疗和非医疗需求。
