ABSTRACT: Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming an important component of contemporary health care. It can learn patterns from data, interpret images and language, estimate risk, support clinical decisions, automate administrative work, and assist research. This paper reviews AI applications in screening, diagnosis, treatment planning, monitoring, hospital operations, public health, and biomedical discovery. Using a narrative literature-review approach, it draws on selected peer-reviewed research and guidance from the World Health Organization (WHO), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and policy material relevant to India. AI may improve the speed and consistency of selected tasks, support earlier detection, reduce routine workload, and help analyse complex biomedical data. However, technical accuracy does not guarantee better patient outcomes. Performance may deteriorate when tools are used in populations or settings unlike their training data. Key concerns include biased datasets, privacy and cybersecurity risks, limited explainability, automation bias, uncertain accountability, workflow disruption, and unequal access to digital infrastructure. Evidence from randomized trials is increasing, although many studies remain limited in scale and generalizability. The paper argues that AI should be treated as a sociotechnical intervention rather than a standalone product. Responsible adoption requires representative data, independent validation, transparent communication, human oversight, continuous monitoring, clear accountability, workforce education, and patient participation. In India, local relevance, language accessibility, affordability, and equitable distribution of benefits are especially important. AI is most likely to improve health care when it augments qualified professionals and strengthens health systems rather than replacing clinical judgement.
KEYWORDS : artificial intelligence, health care, machine learning, clinical decision support, medical imaging, ethics, equity, digital health
THE ROLE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN HEALTH CARE
JAY KUMAR, YASH DHADWE, SINGH DIVYANSH