New Microsoft AI tool beats general doctors in tough medical tests

A new Microsoft artificial intelligence tool proved more than twice as accurate as general physicians at solving complex medical cases, a study published on Thursday in Science reveals. ## How It Works Unlike older medical AI systems that look at all symptoms, lab results, and scans all at once, this new model acts step by step much like a real doctor does. It uses an orchestrator tool that organises a simulated panel of clinical experts to work together on a diagnosis. The model figures out what questions to ask about a patient's history, decides what matters in a physical exam, and orders tests based on what it learns. It keeps updating its plans and working theories as new results come in, according to the research leaders.

Testing And Cost

Researchers tested the tool on more than 300 unusual and confusing medical cases. The AI model was more than twice as accurate at working up patients and finding the right diagnosis compared to general doctors who used textbooks and the internet. The tool also beat human doctors when tested with scenarios taken from a major database of emergency room admissions. Dr. Dominic King, corporate vice president of the health unit at Microsoft AI, noted that while older AI systems easily pass multiple-choice tests, real patients never arrive with neat summaries. Harsha Nori, head of AI at Microsoft AI Health, added that diagnostic processes also cost less when the orchestrator designs the work-ups instead of human doctors.

Context

Microsoft researchers developed this tool to mimic the step-by-step reasoning that human physicians use during patient consultations. The team plans to test the technology next in emergency department waiting rooms in partnership with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston.