Artificial intelligence and cardiology: Current status and perspective

The development of artificial intelligence (AI) began in the mid-20th century but has been rapidly accel-erating in the past decade. Reflecting the development of digital health over the past few years, this trend is also seen in medicine. The field of cardiovascular medicine uses a wide variety and a large amount of biosignals, so there are many situations where AI can contribute. The development of AI is in progress for all aspects of the healthcare system, including the prevention, screening, and treatment of diseases and the prediction of the prognosis. AI is expected to be used to provide specialist-level medical care, even in a situation where medical resources are scarce. However, like other medical devices, the concept and mechanism of AI must be fully understood when used; otherwise, it may be used inappropriately, resulting in detriment to the patient. Therefore, it is important to understand what we need to know as a cardiologist handling AI. This review introduces the basics and principles of AI, then shows how far the current development of AI has come, and finally gives a brief introduction of how to start the AI development for those who want to develop their own AI. (c) 2021 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of Japanese College of Cardiology.

Automated summary

The development of artificial intelligence (AI) in medicine, especially in cardiovascular medicine, has seen rapid progress in recent years. AI has the potential to contribute to disease prevention, screening, treatment, and prognosis prediction. However, understanding the concept and mechanism of AI is crucial to ensure its appropriate and safe use in healthcare.