Moonshot. Long shot. Or sure shot. What needs to happen to realize the full potential of AI in the fertility sector?

Abstract

Quality healthcare requires two critical components: patients' best interests and best decisions to achieve that goal. The first goal is the lodestar, unchanged and unchanging over time. The second component is a more dynamic and rapidly changing paradigm in healthcare. Clinical decision-making has transitioned from an opinion-based paradigm to an evidence-based and data-driven process. A realization that technology and artificial intelligence can bring value adds a third component to the decision process. And the fertility sector is not exempt. The debate about AI is front and centre in reproductive technologies. Launching the transition from a conventional provider-driven decision paradigm to a software-enhanced system requires a roadmap to enable effective and safe implementation. A key nodal point in the ascending arc of AI in the fertility sector is how and when to bring these innovations into the ART routine to improve workflow, outcomes, and bottom-line performance. The evolution of AI in other segments of clinical care would suggest that caution is needed as widespread adoption is urged from several fronts. But the lure and magnitude for the change that these tech tools hold for fertility care remain deeply engaging. Exploring factors that could enhance thoughtful implementation and progress towards a tipping point (or perhaps not) should be at the forefront of any 'next steps' strategy. The objective of this Opinion is to discuss four critical areas (among many) considered essential to successful uptake of any new technology. These four areas include value proposition, innovative disruption, clinical agency, and responsible computing.