Applications involving artificial intelligence (AI) around the world represent a topic that has reached a three-pronged fork in the road, so to speak. These three paths through AI-related discourse can be navigated thusly:
Firstly, phrases like “Yeah, AI’s hit the mainstream.” are behemoth-sized understatements, especially as conversations about AI and its levels of acceptance (albeit conditionally, depending on the industry and its top leaders) proliferate like digital wildfire. We’re talking about automating repetitive learning, immense data discovery potential, adaptation through progressive learning algorithms that are applicable in countless professional spheres, relieving human operators of various mundanities so they may strategically tackle higher-priority projects, etc.
Secondly, phrases like “This is the worst AI will ever be.” are actually semi-cloaked praises of artificial intelligence; those saying this are implying that AI is only improving from here on out. Each day, week and month, kinks are worked through and stronger efficiencies are made possible for still-sprawling use cases. Ergo, if this AI at its “worst,” then its wild to think of what will yet become achievable.
Thirdly, the controversies, frustrations, and firm unease. To many individuals, while AI has proven to be staggeringly efficient, strewn in are worries that range from its tendency to “hallucinate” and provide misinformation, all the way to gaping lacks of transparency, inadvertent biases, privacy and ethical dilemmas, fears of job displacement, regulatory challenges, etc. Folks may even fall into a simpler bucket – AI-driven developments and increased reliance on it could lead to diminished empathy, social skills, and general human connections.
The long-story-short of it? The more AI is discussed, the more it is both celebrated and held in question, trends would seem.
Today, we’re focusing on AI and the sensitive field of healthcare and wellness.
Often, we write articles here on HealthTechZone about AIoT and IoMT, or the Artificial Intelligence of Things and the Internet of Medical Things, respectively. (I also pen pieces involving healthcare-adjacent AI topics on one of our sister sites, IoT Evolution World.) To recap several of these articles’ themes, AI in healthcare has the ability to support humans in performing highly complex tasks (e.g. data analyzation and intricate problem-solving and high-powered decision-making capabilities), and it already has been hailed by many as a means through which healthcare can become utterly revolutionized. But, as mentioned, the safe and ethical use of AI in healthcare remains a subject of ongoing debate. Sure, it can enhance medical diagnoses, treatment and patient care, but its very existence also has specialists concerned about inaccuracies, questions surrounding autonomous technologies in medicine, and striking a balance between harnessing its benefits while not risking patient and clinician safety.
These ideas will undoubtedly be explored for years to come. In that vein of exploration, the generative AI (GenAI) wellness platform Miri (co-founded by Amy Kelly and Boris Korsunsky) is using customized coaching powered by GenAI to offer 24/7 access to real-time solutions for nutritionists, fitness organizations, functional medicine consultants and more.
And recently, Miri made a big announcement:
Miri’s beta platform, which now officially features the launch of its Shannon AI for accessible, dedicated 1:1 health coaching, is now currently free for users to try out.
Named after wellness expert Shannon Morse of The Green Door Life, Shannon AI (made possible by Miri’s growing technologies) can be consulted by users at their convenience in order to expedite personalized health education (while removing the kind of lag time that’s typically associated with 1:1 practitioners in person). Specifically, Shannon AI assists users with precision-designed meal plans, customized shopping lists, and detailed macronutrient suggestions based on their unique lifestyles and goals. Whether planning ahead or totally on-the-go trying it out, users are guided by Shannon AI to make optimal choices in real-life situations.
According to Shannon Morse herself, “When optimizing a health and wellness journey, making a change isn't sufficient; we must undergo a transformation to truly experience ourselves in a new light. From what I've observed, Miri represents the initial step toward realizing this transformation on a collective level. The coaching, drawing from retained memories of past interactions (which is often critical with reliable AI), offers users the chance to embody a new way of being through integrative education and personalized support.”
In addition to Shannon AI, Miri has partnered with a stacked lineup of luminaries and health practitioners, including:
- Dr. Poonam Desai: A double board-certified osteopathic physician specializing in Lifestyle Medicine and Emergency Medicine. Dr. Desai's expertise in fitness, nutrition, and genomic-based medicine enriches Miri's ability to address users' questions comprehensively.
- Dr. Sunjya Schweig: A seasoned practitioner with more than 25 years of experience in integrative and functional medicine, Dr. Schweig contributes to Miri's knowledge base on chronic health issues, including digestive health, nutrition, hormonal balance, metabolism, neurology and more.
- Dr. Joel Warsh: A board-certified pediatrician specializing in parenting, wellness, and integrative medicine. Warsh's multifaceted expertise enables Miri to provide insights into parenting and integrative pediatric support topics.
Learn more about Shannon AI here.
Edited by
Greg Tavarez
