Medical Ethics in the Age of Generative AI: Attorney Dr. Oren Asman – January 2025

Technological leaps embody countless opportunities — and alongside them, significant concerns: what does the integration of AI in medicine truly mean? Where is the Archimedean point on the fine line between efficiency and growth for the benefit of humanity, and the risks of infringing on privacy, patient safety, or equitable treatment?

In his lecture, Attorney Dr. Oren Asman, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Nursing Science and Head of the Responsible AI in Medicine Initiative at Tel Aviv University, addressed developments in this field and the challenges faced worldwide, particularly in healthcare. He discussed the complexity of translating core principles of medical ethics — such as justice, equity, autonomy, harm prevention, and even virtues — into practical rules of conduct for patients, healthcare providers, manufacturers, and regulators.

He urged critical thinking about who should bear responsibility in this context, whether and how to consider cross-cultural differences, and why such differences may sometimes lead to unjustified bias on the part of humans, machines, or both. Another key message was that sometimes “both/and” thinking is the most fitting approach when dealing with a complex issue that involves both enormous opportunity and real risk.

The lecture was delivered at a meeting of the Tel Aviv University Friends Association, Smolarz Auditorium, on January 31, 2025.