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Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
FDA approves first AI tool to predict breast cancer risk
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first artificial intelligence (AI) tool to predict breast cancer risk. The authorization was confirmed by digital health tech company Clairity, the developer of Clairity Breast – a novel, image-based prognostic platform designed to predict five-year breast cancer risk from a routine screening mammogram. In a press release, Clairity shared its plans to launch the AI platform across health systems through 2025. Ai Detects Ovarian Cancer Better Than Human Experts In New Study Most risk assessment models for breast cancer rely heavily on age and family history, according to Clairity. However, about 85% of cases occur in women who have no family history of breast cancer, likely stemming from genetic mutations that occur because of aging, health agencies report. Read On The Fox News App Traditional risk models have also been built on data from predominantly European Caucasian women, which Clairity said has not been "generalized well" to diverse backgrounds. The AI tool analyzes subtle images from a screening mammogram that correlate with breast cancer risk, then generates a "validated five-year risk score" and delivers it to healthcare providers, the company noted. Ai Detects Woman's Breast Cancer After Routine Screening Missed It: 'Deeply Grateful' Dr. Connie Lehman, Clairity founder and breast imaging specialist at Mass General Brigham, stressed the importance of mammograms in early cancer detection. "Now, advancements in AI and computer vision can uncover hidden clues in the mammograms – invisible to the human eye – to help predict future risk," she said in a press release. "By delivering validated, equitable risk assessments, we can help expand access to life-saving early detection and prevention for women everywhere." Dr. Robert A. Smith, senior vice president of early cancer detection science at the American Cancer Society, also commented in a statement that personalized, risk-based screening is "critical to improving breast cancer outcomes, and AI tools offer us the best opportunity to fulfill that potential." "Clairity's FDA authorization is a turning point for more women to access the scientific advances of AI-driven cancer risk prediction," Larry Norton, founding scientific director of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, wrote in another statement. "Breast cancer is rising, especially among younger women, yet most risk models often miss those who will develop the disease," he said. "Now we can ensure more women get the right care at the right time." More than 2.3 million women are diagnosed with breast cancer globally each year, including more than 370,000 in the U.S., despite "decades of progress," according to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Cases have particularly been on the rise among younger women under the age of 50. Click Here To Sign Up For Our Health Newsletter In a Tuesday appearance on "America's Newsroom," Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel called Clairity's development "profound." "Just looking at a mammogram … sometimes [radiologists] will see things that aren't clear, they have to follow it over time," he said. "AI improves how focused and how predictive it is, [shown] very dramatically in studies." Siegel confirmed that radiologists across the country are generally in support of leveraging AI for cancer detection, especially in areas of the country that are "underserved" in terms of healthcare. For more Health articles, visit "In areas where you're relying on radiologists without special training, this is even more important," he said. "This is the wave of the future. AI is going to be part of the equation, but it's not going to take over."Original article source: FDA approves first AI tool to predict breast cancer risk
IOL News
28-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
AI gave us tools, now it's time to build the right thing
Researchers explore the role of AI in transforming mental health care. Image: RON AI The 29th of May will see Cape Town host Specno's annual Innovators Den forum, offering a space and opportunity for entrepreneurs, investors, and innovators operating in the tech industry to interact and learn from one another. The theme of this year's event is 'Is South Africa ready for Ai?,' a topic with great relevance and importance for businesses, corporates and anyone operating in the tech industry today. The wider and growing trend of business and public use of artificial intelligence presents a pertinent moment for the tech industry in our country. If we all have access to AI, then we should be asking questions around uptake: what separates the fleeting from the transformative? What makes a digital product not just functional, but valuable, adopted, and revenue-generating? New tech, like new tools, is only useful when used by a skilled and purposeful wielder. With the rise of AI — via platforms such as ChatGPT, Midjourney, and Copilot — people have not been given access to a single tool, but a sandbox of possibilities from which to build and create. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ For many, AI remains a means of distraction or as entertainment — but in the right hands, it offers the means to prototype, iterate, and launch digital products and services. Building something new is now easier than ever — placing ever-more emphasis on true innovation. With this democratisation in the ability to build, the tech landscape is growing to favour true value, regardless of origin. The challenge now is not to build something, but to build the right thing. For SMEs, building products with the help of AI tools requires more than technical know-how: it requires insight, strategic guidance, and relentless user-focus. The market place is easily inundated with products and services vying for the loyalty and uptake from potential customers. But quantity does not equal quality, as many of the services, tools, and products lack usability, scalability, or value. SMEs need to acknowledge the fact that as product development and rollout becomes synonymous with speed, strategic and purposeful thought and design becomes a competitive edge. Marketing, modern presentation, and the sleek designs produced by AI-aided processes are nice, but they do not ensure that great tech lives up to the moniker. Instead, great tech is born out of the ability to understand not just what users say they need, but what they actually need — often discovered only through iterative testing and the guidance of experienced product teams. After all, even the most impressive of AIs need to be led in the right direction by those in the know. And the most important direction is one which leads to users. The best tech solutions are exactly that: solutions. They are envisioned and designed around the need to address a real, well-defined problem that affects a clearly defined group of people. Africa is often lauded for its uptake in online banking, mobile money apps, and tech-enabled micro finance — all of which work in the context of an underserved market facing problems in transacting. No AI can tweak for contexts the way an expert can, allowing for SMEs to take operational constraints, cultural nuances, and regulatory environments into account when building and refining. Specno, by leading the Innovators Den, has made this approach a foundational aspect of its processes. The work done between Specno and companies like Wardworx, in collaboration with Dr. Peta-Anne Browne, offers a great case study. Wardworx was built as a South African medical app designed by doctors for doctors to streamline patient task management in hospital settings. It enables healthcare professionals to create and manage patient lists, track patient locations and information, and assign, prioritise, and complete tasks efficiently. The app fosters secure team collaboration, ensuring all members are updated on patient care activities. With its user-friendly interface, Wardworx aims to enhance efficiency and organisation in medical wards, while reducing reliance on traditional paper-based methods. This is where the value of digital innovation agencies and seasoned venture builders becomes critical. Agencies like Specno don't just build — they validate, guide, and de-risk projects alongside those who want to build solutions that will change lives and ways of working. These are consultants that offer expertise in user experience design, technical feasibility, market positioning, and growth strategy, by asking the hard questions and challenging assumptions. This process ensures that whatever gets built is something people actually want — and are willing to pay for. For SMEs and entrepreneurs operating in the tech space, Specno's Innovators Den is more than just a showcase — it's a collaborative ecosystem. It's a place where ideas are challenged, innovations are born, and partnerships are formed. It offers a platform through which industry stakeholders and leaders can actively create the infrastructure required for sustainable innovation. The Innovators Den is one of the many foundational layers contributing to greater tech success across the country. At previous events, companies like JOBJACK, OfferZen, and Naked Insurance have shared how strategic guidance, iterative development, and a focus on impact helped them go from concept to market. Ultimately, with the change and adoption of new tech, those who are informed and committed to clever adoption are the ones who lead the way. While every industry is clamouring for greater AI integration, tech companies are in a place of privilege, nestled at the heart of the debate. In recognition, this year's Innovators Den promises even deeper discussions around the opportunities and risks that come with AI-fuelled development. Ultimately, it is not tools and materials that build skyscrapers, but professions and communities of like-minded people. Daniel Novitzkas, Chairman of Specno. Image: Supplied.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Is your therapist AI? ChatGPT goes viral on social media for its role as Gen Z's new therapist
AI chatbots are stepping into the therapist's chair – and not everyone is thrilled about it. In March alone, 16.7 million posts from TikTok users discussed using ChatGPT as a therapist, but mental health professionals are raising red flags over the growing trend that sees artificial intelligence tools being used in their place to treat anxiety, depression and other mental health challenges. "ChatGPT singlehandedly has made me a less anxious person when it comes to dating, when it comes to health, when it comes to career," user @christinazozulya shared in a TikTok video posted to her profile last month. "Any time I have anxiety, instead of bombarding my parents with texts like I used to or texting a friend or crashing out essentially… before doing that, I always voice memo my thoughts into ChatGPT, and it does a really good job at calming me down and providing me with that immediate relief that unfortunately isn't as accessible to everyone." Parents Trust Ai For Medical Advice More Than Doctors, Researchers Find Others are using the platform as a "crutch" as well, including user @ who said she uses the platform "all the time" for "free therapy" as someone who works for a startup company and doesn't have health insurance. Read On The Fox News App "I will just tell it what's going on and how I'm feeling and literally all the details as if I were yapping to a girlfriend, and it'll give me the best advice," she shared. "It also gives you journaling prompts or EFT (emotional freedom tapping)… it'll give you whatever you want." These users are far from alone. A study from Tebra, an operating system for independent healthcare providers, found that "1 in 4 Americans are more likely to talk to an AI chatbot instead of attending therapy." In the U.K., some young adults are opting for the perceived benefits of a handy AI mental health consultant over long National Health Service (NHS) wait times and to avoid paying for private counseling, which can cost around £400 (approximately $540). According to The Times, data from Rethink Mental Illness found that over 16,500 people in the U.K. were still waiting for mental health services after 18 months, indicating that cost burdens, wait times and other hurdles that come with seeking healthcare can exacerbate the urge to use a more cost-effective, convenient method. I'm A Tech Expert: 10 Ai Prompts You'll Use All The Time But, while critics say these virtual bots may be accessible and convenient, they also lack human empathy, and could put some who are in crisis mode at risk of never receiving the tailored approach they need. "I've actually spoken to ChatGPT, and I've tested out a couple of prompts to see how responsive they are, and ChatGPT tends to get the information from Google, synthesize it, and [it] could take on the role of a therapist," Dr. Kojo Sarfo, a social media personality and mental health expert, told Fox News Digital. Some GPTs, such as the Therapist GPT, are specifically tailored to provide "comfort, advice and therapeutic support." While perhaps more cost-effective than traditional therapy at $20 per month for ChatGPT Plus, which allows user benefits like unlimited access, faster response times and more, the platform fails to extend as far as professionals who can make diagnoses, prescribe medications, monitor progress or mitigate severe problems. "It can feel therapeutic and give support to people, but I don't think it's a substitute for an actual therapist who is able to help you navigate through more complex mental health issues," Sarfo added. Woman Says Chatgpt Saved Her Life By Helping Detect Cancer, Which Doctors Missed He said the danger lies in those who conflate the advice from a tool like ChatGPT with legitimate advice from a licensed professional who has years of expertise in handling mental health issues and has learned how to tailor their approach to diverse situations. "I worry specifically about people who may need psychotropic medications, that they use artificial intelligence to help them feel better, and they use it as a therapy. But sometimes... Therapy and medications are indicated. So there's no way to get the right treatment medication-wise without going to an actual professional. So that's one thing that can't be outsourced to artificial intelligence." However, some aspects of the chatbot could be beneficial to those needing support, particularly those who are looking for ways to chat with their doctor about conditions they believe they may have – such as ADHD – to empower them with knowledge they can carry to their appointment. "[You can] list out a couple of prompts that are assertive, and you can state those prompts to your provider and articulate your symptoms a bit better, so I think that's a helpful role that artificial intelligence can play, but in terms of actual therapy or actual medical advice, if people start to rely on it, it's a bad thing. It starts to go into murky waters," Sarfo said. Earlier this year, Christine Yu Moutier, M.D., Chief Medical Officer at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, warned against using the technology for mental health advice, telling Fox News Digital there are "critical gaps" in research regarding the intended and unintended impacts of AI on suicide risk, mental health and larger human behavior. "The problem with these AI chatbots is that they were not designed with expertise on suicide risk and prevention baked into the algorithms. Additionally, there is no helpline available on the platform for users who may be at risk of a mental health condition or suicide, no training on how to use the tool if you are at risk, nor industry standards to regulate these technologies," she said. Dr. Moutier also explained that, since chatbots may fail to decipher metaphorical from literal language, they may be unable to adequately determine whether someone is at risk of self-harm. Fox News' Nikolas Lanum contributed to this article source: Is your therapist AI? ChatGPT goes viral on social media for its role as Gen Z's new therapist
South China Morning Post
24-05-2025
- South China Morning Post
China stray puppy with 2 arrows in head, leads to crowdfunding for surgery, police probe
The discovery of a stray puppy in China with two arrows in its head, one of them pierced straight through, has sparked public outrage and a heated debate on social media over animal protection and the use of police resources. The May 11 incident unfolded when a man, surnamed Ai, and his girlfriend found an injured stray dog near a vegetable shop in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, southern China. One arrow had pierced right through the puppy's head, while another was embedded in the back of its head. The couple managed to capture it using a cage and rushed it to a pet hospital for emergency surgery. One of the arrows pierced through the little dog's head but failed to deal a fatal blow. Photo: Guancha They also sought help online by launching a crowdfunding campaign which drew support from hundreds of netizens and raised 13,000 yuan (US$1,800).
IOL News
20-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Equities rebound to track Wall St up as China cuts rates
Most markets rose Tuesday as risk appetite returned following the previous day's US rating-fuelled losses, with sentiment also boosted after China cut interest rates to historic lows. Image: Ai Most markets rose Tuesday as risk appetite returned following the previous day's US rating-fuelled losses, with sentiment also boosted after China cut interest rates to historic lows. The rally tracked advances on Wall Street, where the initial selloff sparked by Moody's removal of Washington's triple-A grade soon gave way to a push back into beaten-down equities amid hopes about US trade talks. After Donald Trump's April 2 tariff blitz sowed global turmoil, the deal between China and the United States last week -- which slashed eye-watering tit-for-tat levies -- has re-energised dealers and pushed most markets back to levels before the US president's "Liberation Day" duties. Trump suspended his harshest measures for 90 days until mid-July, and while few solid agreements have been reached so far there is optimism that the worst of the crisis has passed. Still, China caused a little concern after it accused Washington of violating their tariff deal in Geneva this month following a US warning that using Huawei's AI chips anywhere in the world would break its export controls. Beijing called for a correction and warned of measures if the White House continued. Traders are also hoping the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates this year, with two reductions expected, according to Bloomberg News. However, two central bank officials remained cautious about when to resume their monetary easing, amid worries that the tariffs and possible tax cuts will reignite inflation. New York Fed boss John Williams indicated decision-makers might not be able to move before September, while the central bank's vice chairman Philip Jefferson urged patience, adding that it was crucial to make sure any price increases do not become entrenched. Hong Kong stocks rose more than 1%, while Shanghai, Tokyo, Sydney, Singapore, Taipei, Bangkok, Wellington and Jakarta were all up. London, Paris and Frankfurt were also well up in morning exchanges. However, Neil Wilson at Saxo markets warned that traders were not yet out of the woods as US Treasury yields remain elevated. "Markets are clearly perturbed by ongoing trade uncertainty, economic policy uncertainty and the potential to lock in sweeping tax cuts in the US, undermining the fiscal position further," he wrote in a commentary. "The question now is what policy moves can be engineered to tame yields, which could be a worry for equity markets." CATL's soaring debut The gains came as China's central bank cut two key interest rates as officials battle to kickstart the economy, which faces persistent headwinds from a long-term domestic spending slump, a protracted debt crisis in the property sector and high youth unemployment. The People's Bank of China lowered its one-year Loan Prime Rate, the benchmark for the most advantageous rates lenders can offer to businesses and households, to 3.0% from 3.1%. The five-year LPR, the benchmark for mortgage loans, was cut to 3.5% to 3.6%. Both rates were last cut in October to what were then record lows. "The rate cuts will reduce interest payments on existing loans, taking some pressure off indebted firms. It will also reduce the price of new loans," Zichun Huang, China economist at Capital Economics, said in a note. However, she added that "modest rate cuts alone are unlikely to meaningfully boost loan demand or wider economic activity". The "reductions... probably won't be the last this year", she said. The move came a day after data showed Chinese retail sales came in below expectations in April, highlighting a continued lack of confidence among consumers. In Hong Kong, Chinese battery giant CATL soared more than 18% at one point on its debut, having raised US$4.6 billion in the world's biggest initial public offering this year. It finished 16.4% higher. The firm, which produces more than a third of all electric vehicle batteries sold worldwide, saw strong demand even after it was designated as a "Chinese military company" on a US list in January. The US House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party even highlighted this inclusion in letters to two US banks in April, urging them to withdraw from the IPO deal with the "Chinese military-linked company". But the two banks -- JPMorgan and Bank of America -- are still onboard. AFP
