Artificial intelligence is coming to medicine. But will it help?
Artificial intelligence is coming to medicine. But will it help?
https://www.thesudburystar.com/life/artificial-intelligence-is-coming-to-medicine-but-will-it-help
Publish Date: 2026-05-17 13:45:00
Source Domain: www.thesudburystar.com
Breadcrumb Trail Links
AI is not just about computers and robots. Increasingly, it will shape what happens when you visit your doctor
Published May 17, 2026 • 3 minute read
AI is not just about computers and robots. Increasingly, it will shape what happens when you visit your doctor, Diana Gifford-Jones says.
Article content
This week I’m writing from Berlin, where I’m leading Canadian university leaders on a week-long study of Germany’s higher education and research ecosystem. Our North American penchant for policy by experimentation was in sharp contrast with the coordinated national strategies and infrastructure evident across the German economy. By my observation, the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in health is becoming the next national mission.
Advertisement 2
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
Friedrich Merz, the German chancellor, is leading the charge to unleash AI. “I will push to ease the regulatory burden in the EU on AI,” he said recently, “and, where possible, to exempt industrial AI from the current regulatory straitjacket that is too tight.”
Article content
Recommended Videos
Article content
Now, before readers stop and say, “This has nothing to do with me,” think again. AI is not just about computers and robots. Increasingly, it will shape what happens when you visit your doctor, undergo a test, receive a diagnosis, or fill a prescription. And whether this becomes a blessing or another modern headache depends on our leaders setting the right course.
Americans are charging ahead at full speed with AI. In the United States, giant technology companies see healthcare as the next great gold rush. Faster diagnostics. Faster data collection. Faster treatment decisions.
Germany has a different attitude, and people are asking questions. Who controls the data? Can patients trust computer-generated advice? Will medicine become colder and more mechanical? Will doctors…
