"The academy has always supported and accompanied transformative developments in science and medicine"
Markus Schwaiger und Matthias Tschöp explain why the BAdW and Helmholtz Munich can tackle the challenges of these new technologies
Why did you initiate the ad hoc working group 'AI in Medicine'?
Markus Schwaiger: As a medical professional and president of the BAdW, I view the rapid advancement of AI methods as a pivotal subject with high interdisciplinary relevance. It holds both opportunities and concerns. Leveraging the concentrated expertise of Bavaria's scientific community, our aim is to communicate the tremendous potential of artificial intelligence for research and patient care to society. Moreover, we see it as our responsibility to formulate well-founded recommendations for the utilization and regulation of these new technologies as a contribution to policy advice. A working group under the auspices of the BAdW can tackle all these challenges.
Matthias Tschöp: At Helmholtz Munich, 2,500 leading researchers and staff are dedicated to developing new biomedical solutions for a healthier future. To foster and implement new breakthroughs, we systematically began investing in expertise and infrastructure for AI more than a decade ago. Since then, everything has evolved rapidly, and today, Prof Dr Fabian Theis leads Europe's leading platform for artificial intelligence in health research. Amidst all these scientific advancements, however, essential aspects must not be overlooked – ethical implications, responsible AI use, and quality control. In this regard, the BAdW plays a crucial role. Through the establishment of the ad hoc working group, we've created a hub for engaging with society and connecting with numerous excellent interdisciplinary projects across Bavaria.
AI is heavily debated and analyzed. What can the BAdW's working group accomplish that other initiatives cannot?
Markus Schwaiger: AI will bring about profound changes in all areas of our lives. As the umbrella organization for Bavarian sciences, BAdW assumes a societal responsibility by offering a neutral assessment of new technologies. Members of our working group do not represent individual interests, enabling us to provide objective evaluations. Given the plethora of AI reports, especially in the health sector, this is particularly challenging. Our goal is to highlight the strengths of local scientific activities through concrete examples of Bavarian research projects, contributing to a more practical discussion on AI.
Matthias Tschöp: The BAdW stands for outstanding academic achievement and interdisciplinarity – Goethe, Humboldt – and Helmholtz were elected members. The academy has always supported and accompanied transformative developments in science and medicine. Therefore, I see it as an ideal institution to guide the enormous dynamics in AI development, with its opportunities and dangers, particularly in the field of health, to consolidate activities and moderate discourse with the public.