[Artificial intelligence and smartphone program applications (Apps) : Relevance for dermatological practice]

Area of Science:

• Dermato-oncology
• Medical Artificial Intelligence

Background:

• Increasing skin cancer incidence and a declining dermatologist workforce necessitate innovative solutions.
• Artificial intelligence (AI) presents potential advancements in managing dermatological conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the advantages and disadvantages of AI in dermato-oncology.
• To outline requirements for responsible implementation of AI-powered smartphone applications.

Main Methods:

• Review of potential benefits of AI in dermato-oncology.
• Analysis of risks and challenges associated with AI use in clinical practice.
• Identification of prerequisites for effective smartphone application deployment.

Main Results:

• AI can enhance focus on skin cancer patients, improve treatment efficiency, and facilitate learning.
• Potential drawbacks include reduced patient-physician contact, increased workload for verifying AI classifications, and challenges in recognizing AI errors.
• Current AI apps lack sufficient diagnostic support from clinical images; medicolegal and remuneration issues remain unresolved.
• Smartphone apps require high image quality, easy data entry, secure transmission, and clarified legal/financial aspects for responsible use.

Conclusions:

• Responsible AI integration in dermato-oncology requires addressing trust, accuracy, and regulatory concerns.
• Smartphone applications hold promise for patient education and teledermatology, contingent upon meeting specific implementation criteria.