In October, Google licensed its AI model for detecting diabetic retinopathy to three healthcare companies in India and Thailand, mandating six million free screenings over ten years. The initiative aims to combat preventable blindness in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where a lack of access and health literacy contribute to high rates of visual impairment. AI can enhance accessibility and reduce reliance on specialists, but uncertainties regarding deployment costs and potential effectiveness challenges remain.
Google's new AI model, designed for diabetic retinopathy screenings, aims to provide six million free screenings in LMICs over the next decade.
Blindness from diabetic retinopathy is completely preventable, and the fact that we have not been able to do effective screening in some of these places shouldn't be forgiven.
Using AI to screen for eye conditions could help lower the burden of visual impairment, enhancing accessibility and reducing the need for specialists.
The real-world cost of AI screening remains uncertain, and hiccups encountered during deployment could reduce effectiveness.
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