Artificial intelligence for medicine, surgery, and public health

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has rapidly transformed many sectors, including medicine, surgery, and public health. While AI has a multitude of unique characteristics that differ from the existing and most commonly used healthcare technologies worldwide, the discussion and publications on AI in healthcare have grown exponentially within the past few years. Despite its transformative potential, AI poses several challenges and there are unanswered questions related to the value and impact of AI on consumers, healthcare providers, and health systems. This editorial explores the growing applications of AI and its potential impacts on key entities in the field of healthcare and public health. Also, through this editorial, the journal editors highlight the urgent need for high-quality and real-world setting-based research on the value of AI in healthcare and public health. Finally, as AI will undoubtedly and significantly continue to impact healthcare consumers and systems, the editors are seeking submissions with rigorous and empirical evidence for AI’s impact on health services consumers and providers, and clinical care facilities or public health organizations. The editors believe that unless scholars worldwide generate robust evidence on the value and impact of AI in healthcare, providing the highest benefits of AI to health services consumers will remain an elusive goal.