The automation of doctors and machines: A classification for AI in medicine (ADAM framework)

The advances in artificial intelligence (AI) provide an opportunity to expand the frontier of medicine to improve diagnosis, efficiency and management. By extension of being able to perform any task that a human could, a machine that meets the requirements of artificial general intelligence ('strong' AI; AGI) possesses the basic necessities to perform as, or at least qualify to become, a doctor. In this emerging field, this article explores the distinctions between doctors and AGI, and the prerequisites for AGI performing as clinicians. In doing so, it necessitates the requirement for a classification of medical AI and prepares for the development of AGI. With its imminent arrival, it is beneficial to create a framework from which leading institutions can define specific criteria for AGI.