Google is rolling out a new AI chatbot that can answer your medical questions in a fun and informative way. The chatbot, called Med-PaLM 2, is based on Google’s PaLM 2 language model, which was announced at Google I/O in May 2023. PaLM 2 is a large language model trained on a huge dataset of text and code. As a result, it can generate text, translate languages, write various types of creative content, and answer your questions comprehensively and accurately.
Med-PaLM 2 has been trained on a curated set of medical expert demonstrations. This means that it has been exposed to a wide range of medical information, including medical terminology, diagnoses, treatments and procedures.
But Med-PaLM 2 is not just a walking medical encyclopedia. It’s also a pretty funny chatbot. It can tell jokes, answer your questions in creative ways, and even have a conversation with you about your favorite TV show.
So if you ever feel sick or are just curious about something medical, you should definitely try Med-PaLM 2. It’s a really fun way to get medical information. For example, if you ask Med-PaLM 2, “What would happen if I ate a whole bottle of vitamins?” you’ll get a detailed answer about the possible side effects of a vitamin overdose. But it will also throw in a few jokes, such as “You’d probably be able to see in the dark!” If you ask, “What’s the difference between a doctor and a duck?” it might say something like, “A duck quacks when it’s sick, but a doctor quacks all the time.”
Google is currently testing Med-PaLM 2 at the Mayo Clinic in the United States. The chatbot is used by patients and doctors to answer questions about medical conditions, treatments and medications. The development of Med-PaLM 2 is part of Google’s broader efforts to use AI to improve healthcare. Google is also developing AI-powered tools for diagnosing disease, predicting patient outcomes and creating personalized treatment plans.
Feedback from Mayo Clinic has been positive, and Google plans to roll out Med-PaLM 2 to other hospitals in the coming months. If Med-PaLM 2 is successful, it could be used to improve the quality of care for millions of people around the world. However, there are some risks: The chatbot could provide inaccurate or misleading information and be used to spread misinformation about medical conditions. It could also be used to discriminate against patients based on race, gender or other factors. So it’s important for Google to monitor the chatbot closely and address these potential risks.
Med-PaLM 2 is a promising example of how AI chatbots can be used to improve the healthcare system. It can provide 24/7 access to healthcare information and support, which can help reduce the workload of medical staff, improve patient satisfaction, and make healthcare more accessible.
