The rise of DeepSeek AI, a Chinese-developed chatbot, is generating a wave of enthusiasm across the country and is now impacting sectors from healthcare to government.
The increasing use of AI, including chatbots, is being supported by government initiatives. However, while the technology is becoming integrated across a vast array of applications, there are mixed perspectives about applying AI to the medical field.
The burgeoning trend has reached the medical sector, leading more Chinese citizens to use the artificial intelligence (AI) model for medical diagnoses. However, this change has produced a range of sentiments, with some of the strongest feelings related to AI’s potential role in patient treatment.
A recent video on Douyin, China’s version of TikTok, went viral. The video’s caption read, “I am crushed!” and showed a doctor at his desk discussing his experience. The doctor explained that a patient used DeepSeek to question his treatment plan. He also mentioned he was so angry that he checked the medical guidebook, only to discover that it had been updated, revealing that he was mistaken. This story illustrates the growing influence of AI in healthcare and the potential for it to impact medical professionals.
The doctor’s experience reflects a broader trend. As China aims for AI leadership, citizens are encountering AI in various roles, from civil servants and educators to newsreaders and, increasingly, medical assistants. This wide-ranging integration underscores the profound changes AI is bringing to daily life in China, the level of government support, and highlights the need for further development and adjustment to the technology’s integration into essential sectors.
