Artificial Intelligence, or AI, refers to the ability of computers to imitate human thought and problem solving to execute tasks.

Through AI, a computer system uses math and logic to simulate the reasoning that people use to take in information and make decisions. From self-driving cars to robots that manufacture goods, and digital personal assistants who can answer questions, artificial intelligence has infiltrated our lives.

HOW ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE WORKS

Machine learning is an application of artificial intelligence. It is the process used by data scientists to train a computer to learn and improve without direct instruction while using mathematical models of data. Machine learning models are created by identifying patterns in data. These models are then refined by repetition, where a task is repeated multiple times and incrementally enhanced each time to improve the outcome. As the computer gains new insights and recognizes patterns, it can apply the new knowledge to improve decision making. Deep learning is a type of machine learning where the algorithms work like neural networks in the human brain, using multiple layers to enable learning. With deep learning, a computer can logically analyze and learn from large amounts of data.

BENEFITS OF MOLECULAR ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

One of the beneficiaries from the evolution of artificial intelligence is the healthcare industry, including the field of oncology. AI technology is now involved in the detection, screening, and diagnosis of cancer which requires the analysis of very large, complex data sets. AI allows for quicker and more accurate diagnoses, assists in clinical decision-making, and provides the ability for diagnostic expertise in under-resourced areas.

In precision oncology, molecular artificial intelligence, or the use of machine learning to understand molecular data, has been able to assist in predicting a patient’s response to drug therapies and even help identify a tumor’s likely origin. Caris Life Sciences has one of the largest and most comprehensive databases of molecular data in the world. This means that once a patient’s tumor has been profiled, Caris is able to compare those findings with profiling data from other tumors with similar and different mutational patterns. This allows for the identification of subtypes of cancer with unique molecular signatures.

HOW CARIS USES ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Caris FOLFIRSTai is an example of how artificial intelligence is changing cancer treatment. From data that has been collected on thousands of colorectal cancer patients, Caris has been able to develop a cutting-edge AI platform that is able to gauge a patient’s likelihood of benefit to a specific sequence of chemotherapy regimens. Oncologists who are provided this type of information about their patient’s cancer may be able to select more precise and individualized treatments with improved outcomes.