What's Up Doc? This AI Might Know Better Than Your Physician

Babylon Health’s software beats doctors in diagnostic tests, but barriers to acceptance by doctors and patients remain formidable

Photographer: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg

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Babylon Healthcare Services Ltd., the fast-growing mobile medical consultation service, said its artificial intelligence software, in tests, can assess common conditions more accurately than human doctors.

London-based Babylon said Wednesday its AI correctly answered 81 percent of diagnostic questions designed to mimic those trainee doctors must answer as part of the Royal College of General Practitioner’s exam that must be passed to become a qualified GP doctor in the U.K. The exam is graded on a curve, but over the past five years, the average score trainees needed to pass was 72 percent.