Emerging role of artificial intelligence in gastroenterology and hepatology

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative tool in the diagnosis and management of gastrointestinal (GI) and liver diseases. In clinical practice AI consists of overlapping technologies such as machine learning (ML), deep learning, natural language processing, computer vision, and generative AI. ML is a computer learning system that can provide insight into disease risk factors and phenotypes. Deep learning is an advanced and complex form of ML, structured with different levels of specific algorithms known as convolutional neural networks that can rapidly and accurately process unstructured, high-dimensional data, such as texts, images, and waveforms. Natural language processing is dedicated to facilitating interactions between computers and humans using natural language and helps to analyze, understand, and derive actionable information from unstructured healthcare data, including electronic health records, clinical notes, medical literature, and patient-generated content. Computer vision focuses on enabling computers to see and interpret images and videos and serves as an augmentation tool for endoscopists, improving accuracy and decreasing procedural time. Generative AI is capable of creating new forms of content by learning from a large body of data in the form of text, audio, images, or video and includes large language models. AI has been used in several GI diseases such as esophageal neoplasia, gastric cancer, Helicobacter pylori infection, gastritis, GI stromal tumors, colorectal polyps, inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, GI bleeding, and pancreatobiliary diseases. The potential applications of AI in liver diseases encompass a variety of conditions such as liver masses, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, viral hepatitis, cirrhosis, and liver transplantation. This review discussed the common terminologies and the current status of AI in gastroenterology and hepatology, exploring its applications and ethical issues.

Keywords: Artificial intelligence; Machine learning; Deep learning; Applications; Gastroenterology; Hepatology

Core Tip: Artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as an invaluable transformative tool in diagnosis and management of gastrointestinal and liver diseases. In clinical practice AI technologies such as machine learning, deep learning, natural language processing, computer vision, and generative AI have been used in their applications. There is a need for continued development, validation, and real-world modeling of AI systems before its widespread adoption. Although it does not replace human clinical judgement, it can still be expected that AI application in gastroenterology and hepatology will further be enhanced in the future and become the standard of care in clinical practice.