Throughout history, ground-breaking technologies have emerged that have completely changed people’s lives. These changes can be incredibly dramatic and often unimaginable to those who came before them. For those who lived before the change, the technology and the people who use it can be difficult to understand. This dramatic change is known as a ‘Singularity’—originally a term used in maths, it is now applied to the world of tech and artificial intelligence (AI) development.
Technological developments and singularity
Researchers believe it’s likely that AI will continue to evolve until it is capable of thinking at a human level, with some even believing that its power could continue to grow exponentially past this point. Systems which are designed to write code, like ChatGPT, for example, may learn to constantly improve themselves until they reach singularity – the point at which they overcome human control. Some are particularly concerned about this, calling for the global management of AI development to limit the effects it might have and its ability to act and make decisions outside of its algorithm. While this conclusion is not a given, with the possibility that AI systems may not actually be able to improve themselves, it is interesting to consider the current state and implementation of AI, the developments on the horizon, and imagine its potential in the future.
AI is already a useful tool in many aspects of life, with features such as Apple’s FaceID used by many every day, as well as digital voice assistants like Siri and Alexa used by people to answer quick questions. Algorithms which employ this technology are also used to work behind the scenes on social media, personalising the content each person is presented with. Similarly, search engines like Google use AI to scan the internet to produce the most relevant results. When we consider how often we all use these digital innovations on a daily basis, it’s clear to see how AI could be a force for good – helping to save us time, find the answerdailyand complete tasks more efficiently than humans alone.
Current use of AI in dentistry
Currently, AI has a number of uses in the dental profession. Modern dentists have many challenges to overcome in their day-to-day work, with complex patient needs, high treatment expectations, and ageing populations playing key roles. Additionally, with the stringent regulatory pressures to contend with, everyday tasks have become increasingly complicated, and the need to accurately record everything is more important. As such, AI can already be used in practices to help manage the workload. Some practice management software systems, for example, use AI to help streamline the patient’s journey through the practice, as well as safely store information and manage each team member’s workload.
Additionally, AI is already used to assist clinicians in diagnosis and treatment planning. AI software can highlight areas of concern on CBCT images, and generate automated reports for clinicians to review. This is a great way for clinicians to increase their efficiency, and can act as a safety net, ensuring they don’t miss anything important. Overall, when AI is used in this way, patients can expect high standards of care, with quicker appointments.
Harnessing the power of AI
While the current AI implementations in dentistry are exciting and offer clinicians a whole host of benefits, there is likely far more to come from harnessing innovative technology. Modern technological innovations already used in the practice, such as intraoral scanners and digital treatment planning software, have made strides in the digital dental space in recent years. However, they are lacking in some areas (especially when compared to extraoral scans), leaving much to be desired when it comes to more complex cases which require higher levels of accuracy.
Looking to the future, clinicians might expect AI to be integrated into these types of systems. AI driven technology is expected to revolutionise digital scanning, producing highly accurate 3D scans, far out-performing anything currently used in practice. This technology would allow clinicians to provide their patients with more predictable care, with improved efficiency for both the dental practice, and lab.
Looking to the future
It is impossible to predict what life might look like after reaching the point of Singularity. While some may assume that increasingly advanced AI may be unpredictable, it’s important that the benefits of advanced technology are not overlooked. AI singularity is likely to play a key role in the future of problem-solving, helping to relieve some of the pressures of daily life faced by a busy working society.
For now, the future of AI is still relatively abstract. However, as continuous innovations are made in this area, this is an exciting time for those looking to implement the technology in their practices in the years ahead.