Artificial intelligence (AI) came to being in the mid-1950s; broadly speaking, it refers to the intelligence of machines. As a field of computer science, it allows for machines to learn from their environments to achieve goals. An explosion of AI applications occurred in the 2020s. Much like the internet and social media, AI can completely alter our life as we know it. Some of the earliest proponents of AI have spoken out against its possible effects. Over the next few months, AANS Neurosurgeon offers its readership an introduction to AI; over the next few issues, colleagues will discuss the pros and cons of AI in neurological surgery, specifically addressing its application in clinical neurosurgery, neurosurgical research and education. Jay Nathan, MD, gives an overview of AI this month and sets the stage for some discussion of the applications of AI in the neurosurgeon’s world. AI has already been with us for many years; the questions is how best to harness its full potential to enhance and not hinder the human experience.
Aruna Ganju, MD, FAANS, FACS is an associate professor of neurological surgery at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago and the current editor of AANS Neurosurgeon. She is a past chair of the AANS/CNS Section of Women in Neurosurgery (WINS) and Residency Program Director in the Department of Neurological Surgery at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Her clinical areas of interest are surgical treatment of disorders of the spinal column and cord.
