Comprehensive Summary
The author reviews the growing integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into dermatology in the article, highlighting its promise and addressing ethical challenges. AI has been applied to tasks such as diagnoses, treatment planning support, remote consultations, and automation of administrative work. These AI tools have, thus far, demonstrated accuracy comparable to dermatologists in distinguishing malignant from benign lesions and have expanded into dermatopathology to reduce diagnostic errors. However, the integration of AI raises concerns regarding bias in training datasets, patient privacy, informed consent, and accountability for clinical outcomes. The authors emphasize that AI systems pose a risk of “black box” nature, potential disparities in performance with different skin tones, and challenges in standardizing datasets and workflows across healthcare systems.
Outcomes and Implications
The paper focuses on the importance of balancing AI’s clinical benefits with medicine’s core ethical principles: beneficence, nonmaleficence, justice, and autonomy. For patients, AI can improve access to early detection and expand care to underserved regions through device-based tools. Still, improper or biased use has the potential to increase disparities and harm. Clinicians ultimately must remain the decision-makers in medicine, using AI as a guide and not a replacement, and patients must be fully informed about AI’s role in their care. The authors call for stronger regulation, transparent algorithms, equitable data collection, and better education for both healthcare providers and patients. With thoughtful integration and oversight, AI can enhance dermatologic care while preserving the sacred physician-patient relationship.