Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Veterinary: Guest Blog

Tele-radiology experts VetCT have been exploring the history and development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in veterinary medicine, including its uses in small animal, farm and equine practice, radiology and veterinary education, and its potential impacts on the well-being of veterinary teams and the workforce.

All brought together by Liz Barton and team with the help of ChatGPT. The results of their findings along with polled opinions from their most recent survey have all been shared in the newly published white paper: Artificial Intelligence in Veterinary Medicine

"It's been immensely insightful and fascinating to delve into this topic and consider the implications of AI on veterinary medicine - how we do the work, how it may influence clinical outcomes, and the overall impact on people and animals with all its potential risks and opportunities." - Liz Barton, Head of Communications at VetCT

What's Included in the VetCT AI white paper?

Although gaining major momentum in recent months, due to the hugely publicised ChatGPT and it's ability to write pretty much anything on everything, the fact is that Artificial Intelligence in human radiology dates back as far as 1992, when it was used to detect micro-calcifications in mammography. But despite being in active use for more than 20 years, along side the growing amazement around what AI can do a growing level of fear has developed too. It's for this reason that Liz and the VetCT team really wanted to lay out the truth about AI in a very transparent and easy to digest way.

Should We Fear AI?

So, Should we fear AI in Veterinary Medicine? Largely down to science Fiction and Media Portrayal it is hard not to fear the stories that Pop culture often perpetrates, with AI often depicted in dystopian and threatening scenarios. However there are certain aspects of AI that people are right to question and want more information and tighter regulations around. These include:

1) Job Displacement One of the most prevalent concerns is that AI and automation might lead to job losses across various industries. As AI technologies become more advanced, there is a fear that they could replace human workers in certain roles, leading to unemployment and economic instability.

2) Privacy and Surveillance The growing capabilities of AI in analysing and interpreting vast amounts of data raise concerns about personal privacy and surveillance. AI systems could potentially be used to track and analyze individuals' behavior and activities without their consent.

3) Bias and Discrimination AI systems can inherit biases present in their training data, leading to unfair or discriminatory outcomes. This bias can affect decisions made by AI algorithms in areas like hiring, lending, and law enforcement, perpetuating societal inequalities.

But it's important to note that while these fears are valid to some extent, they don't capture the entire landscape of AI development and its potential benefits or the fact it is led by human intelligence. Responsible AI development with robust regulations, and open dialogue can help address these concerns and ensure that AI technologies are developed in ways that prioritise human well-being and safety.

"You can’t ignore this stuff and pretend it’s not out there. Pet owners certainly won’t do that. The best way is to put the tool in the hands of veterinary professionals - and allow them to be judge how to mediate pet owner interactions with the technology." - Thom Jenkins, Co-founder & CEO at PetsApp

CoPilot

The PetsApp pack are putting the power of AI into the hands of veterinary teams around the world. Teams using PetsApp to provide high quality care will be able to do so even more quickly using CoPilot.

VetCT

Launched in 2009 by veterinary radiologist Victoria Johnson, VetCT has grown from a passion project to support veterinary teams into a world-leading veterinary technology business dedicated to making the veterinary world a better place. With 1000s of reads already, VetCT's white paper: AI in Veterinary is available to the entire veterinary community for free with open access.

For more on AI from both PetsApp CTO Will Monk and VetCT CTO Timothy Davison make sure to join our next webinar: