A Chinese hospital is betting big on artificial intelligence to treat patients

In China, going to the hospital typically means that one could spend hours queuing for a consultation that lasts for just minutes. Now, a hospital in the southern metropolis of Guangzhou is looking to relieve the problem with artificial intelligence. The Guangzhou Second Provincial Central Hospital has incorporated AI into almost every area in its operations, including patient pre-diagnosis, CT scans, organizing patient records, and transporting operating-room supplies, the hospital said this week (link in Chinese). The country--which is challenging the US to be the world's preeminent AI powerhouse--hopes that robots can go some way in fixing the severe problem of doctor shortages. China has 2.3 physicians for every 1,000 people as of 2016, compared with Switzerland's 4.25 and the UK's 2.83, while its rapidly aging population is only adding more pressure to the health care system.