Artificial intelligence: Who is responsible for the diagnosis?

Abstract

The aim of the paper is to find an answer to the question "Who or what is responsible for the benefits and harms of using artificial intelligence in radiology?" When human beings make decisions, the action itself is normally connected with a direct responsibility by the agent who generated the action. You have an effect on others, and therefore, you are responsible for what you do and what you decide to do. But if you do not do this yourself, but an artificial intelligence system, it becomes difficult and important to be able to ascribe responsibility when something goes wrong. The manuscript addresses the following statements: (1) using AI, the radiologist is responsible for the diagnosis; (2) radiologists must be trained on the use of AI since they are responsible for the actions of machines; (3) radiologists involved in R&D have the responsibility to guide the respect of rules for a trustworthy AI; (4) radiologist responsibility is at risk of validating the unknown (black box); (5) radiologist decision may be biased by the AI automation; (6)risk of a paradox: increasing AI tools to compensate the lack of radiologists; (7) need of informed consent and quality measures. Future legislation must outline the contours of the professional's responsibility, with respect to the provision of the service performed autonomously by AI, balancing the professional's ability to influence and therefore correct the machine, limiting the sphere of autonomy that instead technological evolution would like to recognize to robots.

Keywords: Artificial Intelligence; Ethics; Radiology; Robotics.