AI in health care: from clinical support to algorithmic management?

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly used in health care to improve the quality of care, support clinical decision-making, and increase efficiency. As AI systems are integrated into healthcare workflows, they can also become involved in how work is managed, including directing tasks, coordinating workflows, monitoring activity, and evaluating performance. These managerial uses of digital and AI systems are commonly referred to as forms of algorithmic management. Such uses may contribute to the intended benefits of AI, but may also make work more standardised, measurable, and monitorable, potentially increasing managerial control, reducing professional autonomy, or intensifying work. Whether these consequences arise depends on how these systems are implemented and governed. Realising AI's potential in health care therefore requires explicit choices about how AI is used within healthcare organisations and how gains from automation are allocated, so that benefits for care are maximised while potential harms are limited.