Dr. AI?: Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare and Medical Technology

By Kristina Madrazo

The emerging use of AI in medical research enhances healthcare. With AI expediting patient monitoring, diagnosis, and treatment planning—legal and ethical concerns likewise arise. AI technologies store enormous amounts of data, and incorporating them into medical technology enhances patient care, but how much control should people have over their health information?

AI in healthcare is manifested in many ways—determining whether a lesion is benign or malignant, assisting patients who seek pregnancy through in vitro fertilization, and even using robots for surgery (AI is transforming health care — and the law could help safeguard innovation and patients alike, Harvard Law School, 2025). Ethical concerns emerge when data privacy becomes at risk for patients who provide their health information, and regulating how much data and consent should be given.

While there are existing laws to address these ethical concerns, such as the malpractice law, very few regulatory reforms directly address malpractice with AI. Regulatory reforms are crucial to maximize AI’s benefits in medicine while minimizing risks. Understanding legal barriers and gaps through an interdisciplinary approach can systematically address ethics in AI-powered medical technology.