Artificial intelligence in respiratory care: perspectives on critical opportunities and challenges.

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming respiratory healthcare through a wide range of deep learning and generative tools, and is increasingly integrated into both patients' lives and routine respiratory care. The implications of AI in respiratory care are vast and multifaceted, presenting both promises and uncertainties from the perspectives of clinicians, patients and society. Clinicians contemplate whether AI will streamline or complicate their daily tasks, while patients weigh the potential benefits of personalised self-management support against risks such as data privacy concerns and misinformation. The impact of AI on the clinician-patient relationship remains a pivotal consideration, with the potential to either enhance collaborative care or create depersonalised interactions. Societally, there is an imperative to leverage AI in respiratory care to bridge healthcare disparities, while safeguarding against the widening of inequalities. Strategic efforts to promote transparency and prioritise inclusivity and ease of understanding in algorithm co-design will be crucial in shaping future AI to maximise benefits and minimise risks for all stakeholders.