An artificial intelligence (AI) expert has warned healthcare workers to use AI with caution, saying the technology offers significant benefits but also carries risks that must be properly understood and managed.
Ministry of Health digital adviser Kitione Waqanisau said healthcare professionals needed to be aware of AI’s limitations and potential dangers.
“When we don’t know how something works, we don’t know when it will break,” he said.
Speaking at the mini Fiji Medical Conference at the Ramada Hotel in Labasa on Saturday, Mr Waqanisau said AI could sometimes provide incorrect or unsafe information.
“AI can confidently give you the wrong answer. That is what we call hallucination.”
He also warned that AI systems used for data gathering could produce biased outcomes.
“It can be biased, it can be manipulated, and it does not ask for consent.
“It can also create videos and images that look completely real. That is a serious risk.”
Despite these concerns, Mr Waqanisau said AI was already being used at all levels of healthcare for text, image and audio-related tasks.
“It can help doctors write, suggest differential diagnoses, and even prompt treatment guidelines.
“Not only healthcare workers, majority of the world is using AI as an assistant.”
Highlighting the benefits of the technology, he said studies showed AI could help reduce doctor burnout.
“We have seen burnout rates drop from 51 per cent to 38 per cent when AI is used properly as an assistant.”
Mr Waqanisau said healthcare workers must use AI responsibly, warning that misuse could pose serious risks to clinical decision-making and patient safety.
