Professor Chung-Hsi Lee from the Graduate Institute of Health and Biotechnology Law at Taipei Medical University held a seminar on smart healthcare on the 27th. He invited Professor Tony Yang from George Washington University, Professors Jen-Ji Ho, Hsuan-Lei Shao, Tsung-Ling Lee, and Pin-Hsuan Chang from the Graduate Institute of Health and Biotechnology Law at Taipei Medical University, and Professor Yung-Chun Chang from the Graduate Institute of Data Science at Taipei Medical University, to jointly discuss the current developments and future prospects of artificial intelligence (AI) and smart healthcare in Taiwan and the United States.

Professor Yang stated that the emergence of new products and technologies usually outpaces the legislation. Currently, there is no corresponding legislation for AI applications in healthcare in the United States, and they can only be dealt with through tort law. However, due to the opacity of AI algorithms, it is difficult for victims to provide evidence, which poses a significant challenge to AI healthcare applications. Additionally, Professor Yang pointed out that the racial distribution of AI training data is also a concern, as most AI products are trained using data from white populations, which may lead to issues for non-white groups during treatment.

Professor Yang also mentioned a study showing that 60% of Americans feel uncomfortable with doctors using AI for diagnosis without informing patients, which could raise legal issues related to informed consent. He suggested that to promote the development of AI in healthcare, the risks associated with AI medical products should be managed through contracts and insurance. Furthermore, doctors should continuously monitor patients' conditions following AI diagnosis to minimize potential harm caused by AI products.

Professor Chung-Hsi Lee shared the current state of smart healthcare development in Taiwan. He pointed out that the main drivers of AI development in Taiwan include the need for industrial transformation and social transformation. The Taiwanese electronics industry seeks higher profits through industrial upgrades, and the healthcare industry is seen as the most promising field. As Taiwan approaches a super-aged society and faces the threat of declining birth rates, the issue of healthcare workforce shortages is pressing, and AI is expected to address these problems.

Professor Lee further noted that AI development in Taiwan still primarily focuses on the local market, with the most concerning issue being whether the National Health Insurance will cover AI healthcare. Additionally, the Taiwanese AI healthcare market faces challenges due to IT companies' insufficient understanding of healthcare situations. While hospitals can develop AI products independently, they lack the capability to commercialize them widely. There is also a need to consider how to develop customized AI medical products tailored to the needs of individual hospitals.

Professor Lee identified two main issues facing AI healthcare in Taiwan. First is the management of health data: how to legally collect and use it, given the absence of a robust governance framework. It is still unclear whether to adopt the U.S. or European model for personal data protection. Second is the medical legal and ethical issues: although new AI healthcare products can improve efficiency, from a medical ethics perspective, overemphasis on efficiency is not an ideal model for medical communication and doctor-patient interactions.