Surgeon and futurist Professor Shafi Ahmed recently shared his insights on the rapidly evolving role of AI in healthcare.
Having attended significant global health tech events like Arab Health in Dubai and the Global AI Summit in Cannes, Professor Ahmed writes that he has witnessed the growing impact of AI in medicine first-hand.
His latest newsletter focused on the transformative impact of large language models (LLMs) – DeepSeek, ChatGPT and Qwen – each with distinct capabilities for reshaping healthcare.
DeepSeek
In his reflective piece, he underscored the significant cost-effective innovation brought by DeepSeek, the new AI model from China that experts say will challenge established industry norms.
Professor Ahmed said: ‘I think it’s the Kodak moment of LLMs,’ drawing a parallel to the disruptive moment when digital photography dethroned Kodak’s film dominance. ‘DeepSeek is clearly telling the other players that they will be disrupted.’
DeepSeek, developed in China by Liang Wenfeng, stands out for its precision in medical research and diagnostics.
The model, built at a significantly lower cost than its competitors, boasts an impressive 685 billion parameters and focuses on accuracy and efficiency in healthcare applications.
According to Professor Ahmed, DeepSeek’s capabilities include analysing vast medical datasets, uncovering subtle patterns and enabling early disease detection.
Such advancements offer better patient outcomes through personalised treatment plans and precise diagnoses.
However, DeepSeek’s commitment to open-source development has raised global discussions about privacy and security.
However, Professor Ahmed noted: ‘Despite criticism from certain countries, DeepSeek’s innovation remains undeniable.’
He highlights its cost-effective approach to AI development could catalyse more affordable and widespread healthcare solutions globally.
ChatGPT
OpenAI’s ChatGPT has gained prominence for its ability to streamline administrative tasks, enhance patient communication and support medical education.
Professor Ahmed acknowledged that its role in alleviating the burden on healthcare professionals enables them to concentrate more on patient care.
‘The relief of having AI manage these tasks is akin to having an invisible assistant who handles the minutiae,’ he wrote, emphasising how automation can significantly increase efficiency in healthcare.
ChatGPT’s impact also extends to mental health support and medical education. It offers instant, empathetic responses to patients while facilitating learning for medical students.
As an adaptable and widely accessible AI, ChatGPT reduces information asymmetry, ultimately enhancing patient care, Professor Ahmed concluded.
Qwen
Alibaba’s Qwen is a multimodal AI model that extends beyond text processing to incorporate images, videos, and genomic data analysis.
Professor Ahmed suggested that this versatility positions Qwen as a transformative tool for telemedicine, early diagnosis and personalised treatment plans.
The model can analyse visual data to detect subtle symptoms in patients, potentially identifying early-stage diseases, such as Parkinson’s, through speech analysis.
He noted that Qwen’s integration with Alibaba’s cloud infrastructure is particularly influential in research and clinical applications.
With capabilities to process vast volumes of medical literature, Qwen aids in faster drug discovery and personalised medicine.
However, in this overview of LLMs, Shafi warned that global AI regulatory standards remain fragmented, posing challenges to the universal adoption of such models. He called for ethical AI implementation and warned against data bias and privacy breaches.
However, he envisions a future where these AI models are utilised together – ChatGPT facilitating patient communication, DeepSeek analysing complex medical data, and Qwen driving precision diagnostics.
He said: ‘These models aren’t replacements – they’re partners. Their future depends on humility: acknowledging limitations, prioritising transparency and centring patient voices.’
The future of AI in healthcare holds immense potential; however, its success depends on responsible deployment, global regulatory alignment, and equitable access.
He suggested that thoughtfully integrating AI can enhance patient care rather than disrupt human-centric medicine.
You can subscribe to Professor Shafi Ahmed’s newsletter by clicking here.
