6.S963 Final Paper 07/01/24

Guillermo Tafoya Milo
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School,

Abstract:

Artificial Intelligence (AI) promises to revolutionize early care by transitioning it into a predictive and preventive healthcare discipline that not only enhances early diagnostics but also paves the way for personalized lifetime health management. This paradigm shift enables the prediction and potential modification of a broad spectrum of health-related aspects—from genetic predispositions to diseases like cancer to lifestyle-influenced conditions—before birth. This study aims to explore the implications of these advanced capabilities, particularly focusing on the development of hyper-personalized healthcare plans that evolve over an individual’s lifespan, the economic impacts of shifting insurance models, and the emergence of new markets dedicated to early health optimization [1-5].

However, the transformative potential of AI in early care introduces profound ethical and societal dilemmas. The ability to predict and potentially alter human traits brings to the forefront critical issues concerning human rights, autonomy, privacy, and the maintenance of human diversity. As societal norms adjust to new definitions of health and capability, influenced by AI-driven data, this paper addresses the urgent need for robust global governance frameworks to manage these technologies effectively [6, 7]. This analysis seeks to explore the dynamics of these changes, emphasizing how AI’s capabilities could be navigated to uphold health equity, respect individual rights, and preserve the diversity of the human species in a thoughtful and responsible manner.

Full Paper

Disclaimer

This paper was written for Alfred Spector’s MIT Spring 2024 course 6.S963 Beyond Models – Applying Data Science/AI Effectively. It has not been peer-reviewed, and it may contain errors.