Health care leaders are embracing AI. But by conducting an extensive review of case studies and research literature, we've found that their AI initiatives are predominantly focused on developing algorithms that can predict a problem such as cancer in order to make diagnoses better, faster, and less expensively. Rarely, are their organizations devoting resources to AI efforts aimed at understanding why diseases occur. To intervene as effectively as possible, both kinds of algorithms are crucial. To be clear, we are not downplaying the importance of predictive analytics to help diagnose patients.

Health care leaders are embracing AI. But by conducting an extensive review of case studies and research literature, we've found that their AI initiatives are predominantly focused on developing algorithms that can predict a problem such as cancer in order to make diagnoses better, faster, and less expensively. Rarely, are their organizations devoting resources to AI efforts aimed at understanding why diseases occur. To intervene as effectively as possible, both kinds of algorithms are crucial. To be clear, we are not downplaying the importance of predictive analytics to help diagnose patients.

The majority of health care executives (91 percent) are confident they will see a return on investment (ROI) on artificial intelligence investments, although not immediately, and foresee the greatest impact of AI will be on improving health care, according to an OptumIQ survey. Most (94 percent) health care leaders responded that their organizations continue to invest in and make progress in implementing AI, with 75 percent of healthcare organizations say they are implementing AI or have plans to execute an AI strategy, based on OptumIQ's survey of 500 senior U.S. healthcare industry executives, primarily from hospitals clinics and health systems, life sciences organizations, health plans and employers. OptumIQ is the intelligence arm of data and analytics of Optum, an information and technology-enabled health services business that is part of UnitedHealth Group. While many healthcare organizations have plans, progress is mixed across sectors. Of the 75 percent who are implementing AI or have plans to execute an AI strategy, 42 percent of those organizations have a strategy but have not yet implemented it. Employers are furthest along, with 22 percent reporting their AI implementations are at a late stage, with nearly full deployment.