Ethical Considerations for AI-Enabled Voice Analysis: Features of an Emerging Bioethics Literature

Area of Science:

• Digital health
• Artificial intelligence in healthcare
• Bioethics

Background:

• Voice analysis is emerging as a digital biomarker for health conditions.
• Healthcare institutions are exploring voice technology for improved patient outcomes and efficiency.
• Ethical considerations are crucial for the responsible implementation of voice analysis in clinical settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the literature on ethical concerns of artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled voice analysis in clinical applications.
• To inform AI ethics scholars, consultants, and instructors about the ethical landscape of clinical voice analysis.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of studies published between 2010 and 2023.
• Searched databases including PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, OVID Embase, and Google Scholar.
• Evaluated 1871 articles, with 48 included in the final review focusing on ethical aspects.

Main Results:

• Clinical applications include diagnosis of pulmonary/neurological conditions, mental health screening, decision support, and remote monitoring.
• Key ethical themes identified: design, validation, data privacy, health equity, trust, transparency, accountability, patient-provider relationship, and policy.
• Ethical design and validation, data privacy, health equity, and trust were prominent concerns.

Conclusions:

• Further research is essential to understand stakeholder perspectives for the successful adoption of voice analysis technologies in healthcare.
• Developing policies and best practices requires a comprehensive understanding of ethical challenges and user viewpoints.
• Integrating ethical considerations into the development and deployment of AI-driven voice analysis is critical for healthcare innovation.