PAGING DR CHAT (GP) T

Between medical gaslighting and rising costs, more women are turning to generative AI to cure what ails them. Are we headed for a healthcare revolution or down a dangerous rabbit hole?

- WORDS HANNAH VANDERHEIDE

WHEN A HARD MASS APPEARED IN HER ABDOMEN a few months before her 40th birthday, Flic Manning knew something was seriously wrong. What began as occasional pain and bloating had become more persistent, and she had difficulty eating. After two decades managing the inflammatory condition Crohn's disease, the author and radio host was used to gastrointestinal symptoms, but this felt different. Her GP told her it was probably just Crohn’s but referred her to a gastroenterologist to be safe.

That specialist dismissed her concerns. “He didn’t even bother to touch my abdomen,” says Manning. “He said it was nothing to worry about.” Still clearly worried, Manning turned to ChatGPT next, which suggested she had a possible twisted bowel and intussusception (where part of the intestine slides into another) - conditions that can be life-threatening. Concerned, Manning went in search of a third opinion, this time from her human gynaecologist.

“As soon as my gyno touched the hard area she was alarmed,” says Manning. “She said I need a CT, like, today!” Sure enough, the scan confirmed the chatbot’s prognosis. Manning had both intussusception and a twisted bowel, requiring multiple surgeries. “[ChatGPT] even told me the most likely course of treatment, which also turned out to be correct,” she says.

Manning is one of 400 million weekly users who have embraced ChatGPT, OpenAI's generative artificial intelligence model. Launched in 2022, it’s used globally to write emails, and create presentations, résumés and letters. But it also answers questions, compiles research and creates art - and increasingly people are relying on it for medical advice.