The third blog post should reflect on a reading and discussion topic from class from weeks 4 – 6 (you may choose one that you feel most drawn to). What were some insights gained from this reading? Draw connections between the reading, discussion and your own experiences/insights from the everyday.

In week 5 we explored the idea of AI and automation in relation to health. Sadowski (2024) examines AI health coach apps, including Thrive AI Health, which supposedly provides users with personalised advice and recommendations on how to make one’s lifestyle more healthy. Sadowski is sceptical of AI health coaches and does not believe in their ability to “solve the world’s chronic disease problems”. Firstly, he proposes that AI health coaches are riddled with the same biases and errors that are common in other AI models (as well as human doctors and institutions), therefore their effectiveness cannot be guaranteed, despite the thorough personalisation. Furthermore, he asserts a major flaw in the idea that AI health coaches can cure widespread illnesses in society – which is that all individuals choose to make certain decisions without external factors influencing or forcing their actions. The AI health coach logic relies on the idea that individuals are choosing to engage in unhealthy eating habits which can be changed by a simple reminder from an app. In reality, many people cannot afford or do not have access to fresh, nutritious food and consume unhealthy foods because they are cheaper and more accessible to healthier options. In these instances, having an AI health coach telling someone to eat healthier will not actually make any difference. The “social determinants of health” influence a person’s quality of life and health, including their access to health care, fresh and nutritious food, ability to exercise, work conditions, etc. Sadowski criticises AI health coaches for not taking the social determinants of health into consideration and merely seeing the surface of a person’s health choices, which they may not always have a lot of control over. I found this idea very insightful as I had not previously considered this. In this instance, AI is not particularly helpful; it can provide recommendations and reminders but this does not change the social and economic factors that can influence a person’s health.

Sadowski J (12 July 2024) ‘Why an ‘AI health coach’ won’t solve the world’s chronic disease problems’, The Conversation, accessed 16 July 2024, https://theconversation.com/why-an-ai-health-coach-wont-solve-the-worlds-chronic-disease-problems-234369