The majority of individuals now use artificial intelligence (AI) in their daily lives, often without even realizing it. Global positioning systems (GPS) are artificial intelligence (AI)-based navigation software that, for instance, assist us determine the quickest route between Points A and B and recommend alternate routes when an accident has clogged traffic. Artificial intelligence accelerates online shopping by remembering our preferences and recommending similar or complimentary items.
AI has the ability to facilitate scientific breakthroughs, aid in disease diagnosis, treatment, and management, accelerate drug development and delivery, control costs, and promote health equity in the healthcare industry.
Scientists may be aided by artificial intelligence in discovering genetic differences that explain, for instance, why some individuals with high blood pressure respond well to a certain medicine while others do not. Or why certain individuals encounter distinct side effects when receiving an otherwise well-tolerated therapy. It could potentially aid researchers in discovering new therapeutic applications for existing drugs.
As per a release by Pfizer, Anastasia Christianson, Pfizer’s Head of Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Data, and Advanced Analytics, states, “Artificial intelligence and machine learning enable us to use data to gain insights into disease and increase our understanding of how various patient populations respond differently to disease and therapies.”
Because computers can process data and recognize patterns so much faster than people, “AI enables us to uncover patterns in the data that humans may overlook,” she explains. With this much promise, artificial intelligence is altering life sciences and healthcare. Pfizer’s Head of Digital Health, Medicines, and AI, Dennis Hancock, asserts that artificial intelligence can open enormous prospects for the industry and for patients. “However, we must be cautious in applying human oversight, and we must prioritize ethics, responsibility, and patient care.”
Senior Vice President and Deputy Chief Compliance Officer at Pfizer, Ed Nowicki, concurs. “New technologies necessitate novel risk management procedures” “He claims. “Across the enterprise, we collaborate to deliver innovation consistent with our beliefs and standards. It all comes down to being proactive.”
Pfizer’s Responsible AI Principles are a collection of policies and procedures that allow the corporation to unleash the power of artificial intelligence ethically and responsibly.
1. Pfizer will seek to build AI systems that empower humanity and advance equality.
AI can strengthen humans and human decision-making, but it is not intended to entirely replace them. For instance, artificial intelligence can uncover hidden signals in data far more quickly than a human could. Hancock explains that these insights can help scientists rapidly find drug candidates and clinicians make more educated treatment decisions for patients.
Due to the fact that machines are not intrinsically biased, artificial intelligence offers immense promise for advancing equality. In healthcare, implicit prejudice, or unconscious attitudes frequently based on stereotypes, is a significant cause for worry.
Nevertheless, humans must first verify that unbiased data and methods are utilized in the development of AI technologies, which is not always straightforward. The results of an AI system may not be reflective of the greater population if algorithms learn from limited data sets or are not adequately evaluated.
With these considerations in mind, data scientists and engineers at Pfizer collaborated to develop an innovative digital system that assists Pfizer colleagues in identifying and evaluating potential obstacles in the development of artificial intelligence solutions, such as biases and disparities. The system analyzes the AI algorithm and generates reports that highlight problem areas. Teams are able to study the recommendations to determine if action is necessary and what form it should take.
“This unique technique assists our data scientists in removing bias from the data sets used to train algorithms,” explains Christianson. “It aids scientists in identifying bias in trained models and flags potential biases in data that may affect the output.”
2. Pfizer will respect the privacy of individuals and the requirement for transparency in its use of data and artificial intelligence (AI).
According to Hancock, transparency and trust are two of the most crucial goals in the deployment of artificial intelligence in healthcare. If patients, families, and healthcare professionals do not comprehend where data originates or how it is utilized, confidence is impacted. Hancock asserts that AI and sophisticated analytics have the potential to improve our ability to prevent, treat, and manage disease in humans. Without trust, however, the impact of AI in the real world could be severely limited.
Making systems “explainable” to users and other stakeholders is an essential type of trust-building transparency. This is why Pfizer policy requires users to be informed of the limitations and hazards of the AI systems they are utilizing whenever possible.
Pfizer incorporates privacy into the design of its artificial intelligence technologies. Individuals’ privacy, safety, and security are safeguarded by stringently regulating patient data and implementing internal procedures meant to do so. Pfizer employs technical and organizational safeguards to prevent unauthorized access to and use of personally identifiable information.
3. Pfizer will own its artificial intelligence systems.
These principles emphasize Pfizer’s responsibility to ensure that AI systems comply with ethical, legal, and regulatory requirements.
“Trust is essential, thus, we strive to keep ownership and human oversight at the forefront. “Nowicki notes that healthcare organizations are responsible for evaluating and managing their AI tools and technology. AI is utilized to improve research and development, compliance, finance, and human resource management, as well as by third-party partners and a variety of suppliers and service providers.
“We have high ethical standards for ourselves and our business partners.” “Nowicki proceeds. “We believe that our approach to Responsible AI may help raise the standard for the industry and accelerate the adoption of ethics and risk management best practices.” Utilizing AI responsibly will assist the healthcare business in accelerating scientific breakthroughs and other advancements that promote human health.
Hancock asserts, “AI has truly transformational potential.” “AI is altering medicine development and deployment. It can alter the way in which patients are diagnosed. And it can transform healthcare delivery. Due to the power and potential of AI to affect human health, its implementation must be conducted ethically and responsibly.
