A Dubai-based pulmonologist was left both astonished and uneasy after an artificial intelligence (AI) diagnostic tool identified signs of pneumonia on a chest X-ray more accurately and significantly faster than he could. Dr Mohammad Fawzi Katranji, who has spent two decades honing his expertise in respiratory medicine, shared a video in which he tested an AI model’s ability to detect pneumonia. The results, he admitted, were unsettling.
“I am about to lose my job,” Dr Katranji said, visibly stunned, as he demonstrated the tool's findings. “This is scary because I developed the skill over 20 years, which lets me look at an X-ray and point to pneumonia.”
In the video, Dr Katranji first circled the areas he identified as showing signs of pneumonia. Moments later, he ran the same image through an AI diagnostic system, which not only highlighted the same regions but also flagged an additional area the doctor had initially missed.
“Now, here comes AI, and they pick it up in a second,” he continued. “Now, you don't need professional eyes to look at these X-rays. You just have artificial intelligence. They picked up pneumonia. I am going to be applying to McDonald's soon, and I hope they have some openings,” he added, half-jokingly.
The case sparked a wave of responses on social media, with users divided on the implications of such advanced AI in medicine. While some shared Dr Katranji’s apprehension, many viewed the development as a promising advancement that could complement, rather than replace, the work of physicians.
“AI will enable you to help more people and take more time for each patient of yours. It's a gain and an opportunity and not a threat for great doctors like you,” one user commented. Another wrote, “I mean it doesn’t necessarily take over your job, you can use it to greatly save time which you can invest in helping other people or yourself.”
The use of AI in healthcare, particularly in diagnostic radiology, has seen rapid evolution in recent years. Tools like Lunit INSIGHT CXR are now demonstrating diagnostic accuracy on par with, and in some cases superior to, experienced physicians. These systems can scan and interpret medical images within seconds, significantly accelerating the diagnostic process.
Dr Katranji’s experience underscored the transformative potential of AI in medicine, but also highlighted growing concerns about job security and the shifting nature of professional expertise in an AI-driven future.
The concerns echo a prediction made by Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates earlier this year. During an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in February, Gates remarked that advances in artificial intelligence would soon render doctors “obsolete.” He expressed both excitement and unease about how swiftly technology was progressing and suggested that AI could one day provide expert-level services—including healthcare—at no cost, thereby revolutionising global access to medical care.
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