These key sectors for the APEC economies have benefited from the implementation of this technological tool. However, they face similar challenges in terms of access, equity, innovation and staff training. Technology, for now, has allowed them to redesign themselves, drawing a new panorama for the future.
Just a few years ago, a radiologist would look at an X-ray and identify possible lesions with varying degrees of skill and accuracy based on his or her experience. Today, the same task can be performed surprisingly quickly and accurately with the help of artificial intelligence (AI). The Clínica Alemana de Chile has been integrating this technology in different areas for five years, such as in Pathological Anatomy and Imaging, where in the latter unit AI can detect certain types of lesions, from fractures to sequelae and damage related to strokes.
Jaime De Los Hoyos, head of the Department of Biomedical Informatics at Clínica Alemana in Santiago, explains that this type of technology "It has had very good clinical acceptance, and in some cases it has even meant a faster and more accurate diagnosis that allows patients to be treated early, in the case of cerebrovascular accidents," he explains.
The integration of technology at this level is taking place in multiple sectors, including education. These are essential sectors for social and economic development, which face similar challenges in relation to access, equity, innovation and staff training. In this case, AI has great potential to promote the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), by optimizing the use of resources, improving public health and promoting more efficient practices in the productive and industrial spheres.
According to Daniel Scarafia, vice president for Latin America and the Caribbean at Hitachi Vantara . “AI, combined with mobile and digital connectivity, enables financial, educational and health services to reach remote regions and previously underserved populations. This not only fosters greater social equity, but also helps to empower a broader consumer base, generating stronger economies.”
Greater efficiency, customization and accessibility
As in Chile, Peru's Instituto Nacional de Salud del Niño San Borja inaugurated a CT scanner this year to diagnose highly complex diseases in children and adolescents. And for seven years, Hospital Ángeles in Mexico has been using IBM's Watson AI-based system to personalize oncological treatments and improve diagnostic accuracy.
In this sector, technology is being introduced as a tool that improves efficiency, personalization and accessibility. One of the pioneering areas in its use has been its integration as support in radiology diagnosis, for example. This is why it is used to make more precise diagnoses, personalize treatments, more efficient administration of resources, optimization of resources and hospital management, and telemedicine and remote monitoring.
According to the report “How new technologies are transforming health in Latin America and the Caribbean”, by the business consultancy NTT DATA and IDB Invest, “the health industry and systems are fundamental for the development of the region. The evolution and development of this industry exponentially impacts the economies of countries, since it constitutes the basis of the productive chain of any society.”
This report suggests that new technologies have transformed the healthcare sector, enabling the creation of innovative business models such as Healthcare as a Service (HaaS), which offers accessible and flexible healthcare services through subscription and digital solutions. It also highlights digital companies, healthtechs and large technology companies that are transforming the healthcare ecosystem by adopting new technologies and collaborative models.
So, it is possible to observe how technology is redesigning the health industry in the region, with a focus on efficiency, accessibility and sustainability. “We will continue to see more and more advances, not only diagnostic support tools. Anything that generates data that can be stored digitally is susceptible to having diagnostic or therapeutic support tools. All of that which until a few years ago was science fiction is beginning to be monitored and tested,” says De los Hoyos.
From the forbidden to educational exploration
Since the 1980s, its implementation has grown until today, where generative AI has become popular, such as ChatGPT, launched two years ago. “At first it was confusing and the tendency of institutions was towards prohibition, since the way of use that was understood, in the first instance, was rather to “do the homework” for the student. As time went by and the permanence of AI became undeniable in various aspects of life, institutions and teachers had to find an educational way to use it and, with it, teach its ethical use,” says María Belén Correa, LATAM director of Turnitin.
And so it has permeated, impacted and been applied at different levels of educational institutions: primary, secondary and higher education. This has meant the personalization of learning; automation of administrative tasks, with performance analysis and prediction of needs; virtual assistants, automatic evaluation systems and predictive analysis of student performance.
“Chatbots are also used to resolve queries in real time, as well as analysis of learning data and tools that personalize content based on each student’s progress and learning style. But for academic institutions, AI can make additional contributions, such as predicting dropout rates and allowing a more personalized approach to student needs,” says Gustavo Arijón, director of Artificial Intelligence and Analytics at PwC Chile.
Alex Salas Kirchhausen, professor at the UP Graduate School in Peru and CEO of r-manager, adds that “AI accelerates educational processes, reducing costs in the preparation of exams, materials and corrections. On the other hand, it supports learning, since it can be configured to create specialized agents that facilitate the development of competencies, without depending exclusively on the teacher. One potential consequence is that the availability of AI could give rise to a generation where “Know How” loses relevance compared to “Know Who.” This would imply re-evaluating the criteria that define a competitive professional.”
There is no doubt that its implementation is enabling educational inclusion, reducing the educational gap, and administrative efficiency, helping teachers manage grades and evaluations.
This is how “AI will allow for hyper-personalization of education, presenting the student with study material in a way that they can best internalize it. This hyper-personalized learning will also have a much lower cost, which would expand global access to education,” says Arijón.
And this requires investment in technological development and in systems that support the training of teachers and students in digital skills. “We must find training ways to enhance its ethical use to provide the tools that tomorrow's professionals will need. Many jobs already value knowledge about the use of generative AI and, by understanding this, educational institutions are incorporating it into teaching-learning processes,” highlights Correa, from Turnitin.
In many institutions, it is teachers who act as "early adopters ", so the challenge also consists of "improving organizational ecosystems so that AI generates not only individual efficiencies, but also a greater pedagogical impact on the student learning experience," Kirchhausen emphasizes.
And there is still work to be done to address the lack of access and investment in technology, especially in vulnerable communities, ethical dilemmas, and greater knowledge of technology and its potential by decision-makers. Another challenge is managing the change that will be necessary throughout the educational community.
However, the health sector also has challenges that must be faced in order to further boost its development. Arijón mentions those related to the advancement of technological infrastructure, the protection of patients' personal data and the lack of health specialists with knowledge of AI. Meanwhile, De los Hoyos believes that one of the main challenges is "the confidence that clinicians have in this type of tools" in order to be able to implement them.
