Legal integration of artificial intelligence into internal medicine. Data protection, regulatory, reimbursement and liability questions

Artificial intelligence (AI) opens up new opportunities to improve medical care in internal medicine; however, legal uncertainties in the application of AI impede its integration into the daily practice of internal medicine. To clarify the situation this paper gives an overview of the legal aspects related to AI and shows which frameworks must be adhered to in order to exploit the benefits of AI without neglecting the rights and protection of patients. The paper first addresses data protection issues which arise when sensitive health data are processed by AI. This is followed by a discussion of the key regulatory requirements for the use of AI in internal medicine. As the establishment of AI in practice also depends on sufficient funding, legal issues of reimbursement are additionally examined. Finally, the specific features that need to be considered when using AI to avoid medical liability consequences are highlighted.