Artificial Intelligence in Radiology: Some Ethical Considerations for Radiologists and Algorithm Developers

As artificial intelligence (Al) is finding its place in radiology, it is important to consider how to guide the research and clinical implementation in a way that will be most beneficial to patients. Although there are multiple aspects of this issue, I consider a specific one: a potential misalignment of the self-interests of radiologists and Al developers with the best interests of the patients. Radiologists know that supporting research into Al and advocating for its adoption in clinical settings could diminish their employment opportunities and reduce respect for their profession. This provides an incentive to oppose Al in various ways. Al developers have an incentive to hype their discoveries to gain attention. This could provide short-term personal gains, however, it could also create a distrust toward the field if it became apparent that the state of the art was far from where it was promised to be. The future research and clinical implementation of Al in radiology will be partially determined by radiologist and Al researchers. Therefore, it is very important that we recognize our own personal motivations and biases and act responsibly to ensure the highest benefit of the Al transformation to the patients.