Artificial Intelligence Technology

Artificial Intelligence Technology
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Abstract
           This essay examines the application of AI technology in the medical industry. It specifically analyzes the use of AI chatbots in the medical industry. The essay has established that the use of chatbots in the medical industry has gained prominence. More healthcare organizations are using chatbots to schedule appointments with patients, free physicians from mundane, repetitive work, and promote health among healthcare consumers. The implications for the industry as well as a marketing career are discussed.
Artificial Intelligence Technology
           Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology has experienced immense growth in recent years and has been implemented in many industries. AI refers to the use of computer-generated algorithms that perform tasks that would otherwise be performed by human beings (He et al., 2019). By performing tasks that could have been performed by humans, AI helps in saving time and freeing humans to do less tedious, repetitive tasks. The medical industry, which is the focus of this paper, has not been left behind in the adoption and implementation of AI technology. As He et al. (2019) reveal, AI is being used in the medical industry to analyze data and help in decision-making. This has been beneficial, especially in reducing human medical errors and enhancing overall productivity. This paper will explore the application of AI technology, specifically interactive AI technology such as AI chatbot, in the medical industry. A brief background of the technology will be provided followed by its potential applications in the medical industry. The paper will then discuss the implications of the technology in the industry as well as in my potential future career. 
AI Chatbot: A Brief Background
           AI chatbot is a form of interactive or conversational AI which enhances automated communication. This form of AI facilitates interaction through spoken or text language by imitating human interactions/conversations (Nadarzynski et al., 2019; Laranjo, et al., 2018). They can process natural language and as result, their adoption in business has increased. As Adamopoulou and Moussiades (2020) reveal, chatbots are useful in the business context because they can efficiently handle multiple customers at the same time, thus saving time needed to tend to customer queries.
           The concept of chatbots was first developed in 1950 by Alan Turing who introduced the Turing test to determine whether computer programs could be used to talk to people and be indistinguishable from people (Adamopoulou & Moussiades, 2020). This concept formed the foundation for the development of chatbots. However, the first chatbot, which was created in 1966 and named ELIZA, had limited functionality as it could only engage in short, text-based conversations (Adamopoulou & Moussiades, 2020; Laranjo, et al., 2018). Over the years, better chatbots have been developed. They include Siri and Alexa, which are voice-activated and able to engage in longer conversations. 
           To adopt such a technology, companies look for vendors who can offer chatbots that meet the specific needs of the organizations. In the medical industry, the benefits of adopting a chatbot far outweigh the investment cost. According to Modern Healthcare (2018), a weekly publication for executives in the medical industry, chatbot technology, such as the LifeLink chatbot, can costs healthcare organizations a subscription fee ranging between $3,000 and $20,000 each month. However, the same chatbot can help the same organizations save up to $5 million every year. 
Potential Application of AI Chatbots
           The use of chatbots in the medical industry has increased in recent years. According to Kaiser Health News (2019), this technology is being used not only by doctors in hospitals but also by pharmacists in drugstores. The medical industry is characterized by large patient/ medical information that is accumulated over time (Hwang et al., 2020). The industry has become more consumer-centered and more patients want to be in control of their health and healthcare decisions. Given this nature of the medical industry, Hwang et al. (2020) indicate that chatbots are increasingly being used to promote the general health of users as well as process medical information.
           Primarily, chatbots are being used by healthcare providers to perform administrative tasks. Physicians are using chatbots to schedule appointments with patients and set reminders for when the appointments are due (Adamopoulou & Moussiades, 2020). Thus, physicians can use the time they would have spent scheduling appointments to focus more on the patients. In addition, drugstores and pharmacists are using chatbots to order medicines and remind patients to take their pills (Adamopoulou & Moussiades, 2020). When chatbots are used to order medicine, they ensure that there is a sufficient supply of medicines, ensuring that drugstores do not run out of stock. They also ensure that patients are compliant with their prescriptions. Recently, chatbots have been used at the organizational level to screen hospital employees for COVID-19. Specifically, chatbots have been used to digitally screen healthcare employe...