The AMA Issues New Principles for AI Development, Deployment and Use
The American Medical Association (AMA) recently released new principles for augmented intelligence (AI) development, deployment, and use: Principles for Augmented Intelligence Development, Deployment and Use. While the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates AI-enabled devices, many types of these technologies fall outside the scope of the FDA, such as some clinical decision support functions. Thus, there is no current national policy in place for the development and adoption of non-device AI.
This is an important step in providing AMA AI policies that “prioritize the development and deployment of AI in a manner that is ethical, equitable, responsible, and transparent.” Generally speaking, ensuring the benefits of AI in healthcare are optimized, which the potential harms are minimized. Key points in the AMA principles include:
- Oversight: Both government and non-government entities have a role in appropriate oversight and governance of healthcare AI.
- Transparency: Transparency is essential for the use of AI in health care to establish trust among patients and physicians. Design, development, and deployment processes should be mandated by law where possible, including potential sources of inequity in problem formulation, inputs, and implementation.
- Disclosure and Documentation: Appropriate disclosure and documentation is needed when AI directly impacts patient care, access to care, medical decision making, communications, or the medical record.
- Generative AI: Health care organizations are asked to develop and adopt appropriate polices that anticipate and minimize negative impacts associated with generative AI. Governance policies should be in place prior to its adoption and use.
- Privacy and Security: There should be strong measures to protect patient privacy and data security. AI developers have a responsibility to design their systems from the ground up with privacy in mind. Developers and health care organizations must also implement safeguards to instill confidence in patients that personal information is handled responsibly. Strengthening AI systems against cybersecurity threats is crucial.
- Bias Mitigation: The proactive identification and mitigation of bias in AI algorithms should be available to promote a health care system that is fair, inclusive, and free from discrimination.
- Liability: The AMA will continue to advocate to ensure that physician liability for the use of AI-enabled technologies is limited and adheres to current legal approaches to medical liability.
