AI Tools Failing Women and Marginalized Groups: New Report Reveals Alarming Health Disparities

Breaking News: AI Medical Tools Found to Provide Worse Treatment for Women and Underrepresented Groups A recent report by the Financial Times has revealed that AI tools used by doctors and medical professionals are producing worse health outcomes for women and underrepresented groups. According to a paper published by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, large language models such as OpenAI's GPT-4 and Meta's Llama 3 were more likely to erroneously reduce care for female patients. Timeline: The study was conducted over several years, with data collected from 2015 to 2022. The researchers analyzed the performance of AI tools on a dataset of over 100,000 patient records. The findings were published in a paper titled "Bias in AI Medical Tools: A Study on Gender and Racial Disparities" in August 2025. Immediate Impact and Response: The report has sparked concerns among healthcare professionals and advocates for women's health. Dr. Maria Rodriguez, a leading expert in medical ethics, stated that the findings are "disturbing and unacceptable." She emphasized the need for more research on AI bias and its impact on patient care. Background Context: Historically, most clinical trials and scientific studies have primarily focused on white men as subjects, leading to a significant underrepresentation of women and people of color in medical research. This lack of diversity has resulted in AI models being trained on biased data, which perpetuates existing health disparities. What Happens Next: The report's findings will be presented at an upcoming conference on AI ethics in healthcare. The researchers are calling for increased transparency and accountability in the development of AI tools, as well as more diverse representation in clinical trials and research studies. In the meantime, patients and healthcare professionals can take steps to mitigate the risks associated with AI bias by: Seeking a second opinion from a human healthcare professional Asking questions about the use of AI tools in their care Advocating for more diverse representation in medical research By acknowledging the limitations of AI and taking proactive steps, we can work towards creating a more equitable and effective healthcare system. *This story is developing. Information compiled from Gizmodo reporting.*