1.3 Terminology

An explanation of the terminology used in this report.

This report uses the terms ‘artificial intelligence (AI)’ and ‘AI technologies’ to describe the use of digital technologies to create systems capable of performing tasks commonly thought to require intelligence. These can include algorithms using statistical techniques that find patterns in large amounts of data, or to perform repetitive cognitive tasks with data, without the need for constant human oversight.

AI technologies have the potential to support existing clinical capabilities in diagnosis and screening, drug discovery, digital epidemiology, and personalised medicine,¹⁴ as well as optimising organisational resources, system efficiencies and clinical workflows.

'Clinicians', as referred to in this report, include healthcare workers making a patient-specific decision that affects patient care, and may include nurses, paramedics, allied health professionals, doctors, and other specialist healthcare staff groups.

'Industry innovators' refer to private sector developers and providers of AI technologies.

References

¹⁴ Joshi I, Morley J. Artificial Intelligence: How to get it right. Putting policy into practice for safe data-driven innovation in health and care. 2019:1-55. https://transform.england.nhs.uk/media/documents/NHSX_AI_report.pdf Accessed February 28, 2022.