Google — along with its health care-focused sister company, Verily — has taken an artificial intelligence tool out of the lab and into real doctors' offices.
Why it matters: So far, AI tools in the health care world have mostly been useful for things like quickly reading and synthesizing a lot of medical literature — a few steps removed from clinical practice. Using a system like this for actual treatment is a big jump.
How it works: Google and Verily are using this tool in India to help diagnose 2 diabetes-related eye conditions that can cause blindness if left untreated.
- Technicians take photos of patients' eyes, and the AI tool scans them for evidence of either condition so that the technician knows whether patients need to see a doctor, according to Verily.
- The company said India has a shortage of roughly 100,000 eye doctors and that only a fraction of diabetics are screened for preventable blindness.
- Thailand may be the companies' next stop.
