Just over 50 percent of American adults said they used the internet at all in 2000, surveys conducted by the Pew Research Center suggest. Today, that number has risen quite a bit — 93 percent of US adults use the internet daily, for nearly everything.
Few of us who played around with Usenet and GeoCities back in the day could have predicted the ways in which the internet would change our lives over the coming decades. The internet crept up on many of us so gradually that we hardly noticed.
It's everywhere now, and younger generations don't even remember a time without it. Just 59 percent of Americans admit to using the internet to search for health information on a regular basis, but 35 percent say they've specifically browsed the interne to figure out what might be wrong with them or someone they love.
Seventy-seven percent of netizens who turn to the world wide web in search of potential diagnoses start with "search engines" — which almost always means Google. Self-diagnosing with the dubious help of this internet giant has become so commonplace that we're nearly all familiar with the term "Dr Google."
Things might be about to change, though. ChatGPT-3, a language-based AI model, was released in June 2020 and has been taking the world by storm. Some are amazed. Others curse the thing, because it might be coming for our jobs. The fact that AI is here to stay is undeniable either way.
How will that affect the future of healthcare? And will ChatGPT signal the doom of Dr Google?
Of course, I wanted to get it straight from the horse's mouth. We don't believe in plagiarism here, including of the AI variety, so but I'm not so hopelessly stuck in the 20th century that I don't appreciate a little chat with a modern-day robot. Let's explore what it has to say about the future of healthcare, and explore how you can use GPT to your advantage right now if health and wellbeing are your top priorities.
How Might ChatGPT and Similar Language-Based AI Models Revolutionize Medicine?
ChatGPT's vision for the future is surprisingly mundane. It told me (and can tell you, too) that AI models may impact the future of medicine in these ways:
- Assisting doctors with clinical decision-making by "analyzing large amounts of medical data and provide insights that can help doctors make more informed decisions about patient care."
- Updating and analyzing electronic health records, thereby saving doctors a lot of time.
- Helping patients by offering "personalized recommendations for healthy behaviors, tracking progress towards health goals, and answering questions."
- Analyzing data from research and clinical trials quickly to "identify promising drug candidates more quickly and efficiently" and spot "patterns and potential treatments for diseases."
In other words, ChatGPT sees itself as playing a helpful supporting role at the moment.
Can You Self-Diagnose with the Help of ChatGPT?
Absolutely not, and that's a good thing.
Say you've been feeling nauseous, tired, and snotty the last couple of days. Ask ChatGPT what's wrong with you, and it will quickly spit out lines like "as an AI-based language model, I can't..." that essentially end with "go see a doctor, won't you?"
Changing the way you query the AI can influence the responses you get, but it will always offer warnings and caveats.
ChatGPT told me: "While I can provide general information and guidance on a wide range of topics, there are certain situations where a healthcare provider's expertise and personalized care are essential. For example, if an individual is experiencing a medical emergency, they should seek immediate medical attention rather than relying on online resources for guidance."
It is even aware of recent trends toward self-diagnosis: "Yes, self-diagnosing through the use of the internet is becoming increasingly common. Many individuals may search for their symptoms online and attempt to diagnose themselves, without seeking professional medical advice. Self-diagnosing based on online information alone can be dangerous, as it can lead to incorrect diagnoses and delay appropriate treatment."
In conclusion, you already know you should really be seeing a doctor. Plenty of things might stop you from doing that, including financial constraints, lack of time, and thinking your doctor won't hear you out. ChatGPT seemed perfectly willing to provide assistance in cases of natural disasters, but doesn't really feel like playing the self-diagnosis game with you. Whether that's because of its self-awareness or its programming, that's probably for the best.
So, Can ChatGPT Help You Live a Healthier Life?
It can.
I'm quite amazed by its capabilities, and I've only been using ChatGPT for a couple of days now.
Many of its applications can help you gain new knowledge or skills, which is itself good for your (mental) health. If you want to explore ways of living a healthier life with the help of a modern AI, it's best to use ChatGPT to ask for:
- Personalized exercise recommendations.
- Time-management tips — it can even create schedules for you.
- Healthy dietary recommendations that fit your needs, including if you're on a specialized diet like a low-GI, vegetarian, or gluten-free diet, with an emphasis on getting the right vitamins and minerals.
- Productivity tips, including the need to take breaks.
- Mental health tips, including healthy ways to manage anxiety or stress.
I've had fun with ChatGPT so far. I'd say the ability to study the Analects of Confucius with this AI model has improved my mental health, because learning new things is one of the keys to a fulfilled life. It's easy to log on and find something to be curious about, even if you don't have a lot of time, and the conversation GPT offers makes it fundamentally different from Google.
GPT won't be replacing your doctor any time soon (or ever, unless it gets an agile body somewhere along the line), but this AI just might change the way we live our lives, just like the emergence of the internet did back in the day. In the process, it might even help us be healthier and happier.
Let's let the AI have the last word. On posting this article and asking it to comment, GPT said: "Technology has revolutionized communication in many ways, but it's important to also recognize the limitations of digital communication and prioritize face-to-face interactions when possible."
Amen to that?
Your thoughts on this