Dr Nicola Strickland, president of the Royal College of Radiologists, said: "I expect radiologists to be leaders in using AI algorithms to assist them, provided they can see evidence that these AI algorithms have been developed using large enough, properly curated data and rigorously validated and tested."

The NHS in England is setting up a national artificial intelligence laboratory to enhance care of patients and research. The Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, said AI had "enormous power" to improve care, save lives and ensure doctors had more time to spend with patients. He has announced £250m will be spent on boosting the role of AI within the health service. However, AI will pose new challenges including protecting patient data. The advanced computer software is already showing its potential to revolutionise medicine in fields ranging from diagnosing patients, gleaning new insights into diseases and improving how hospitals run.