In an early real world test of artificial intelligence in health research, scientists at UC San Francisco and Wayne State University discovered that generative AI could process enormous medical datasets far faster than traditional computer science teams — and in some cases produce even stronger results. Human experts had spent months carefully analyzing the same information.
To compare performance directly, researchers assigned identical tasks to different groups. Some teams relied entirely on human expertise, while others used scientists working with AI tools. The challenge was to predict preterm birth using data from more than 1,000 pregnant women.
Even a junior research pair made up of a UCSF master’s student, Reuben Sarwal, and a high school student, Victor Tarca,…