(Original title: Artificial intelligence successfully predicted autism, but this research result is difficult to apply to medical practice) Sometimes, the algorithm can find some symptoms of disease that humans cannot detect. Recently, researchers at the University of North Carolina and the University of Washington discovered that artificial intelligence can identify children with autism in advance of symptoms. For doctors and researchers, this is an exciting discovery. At the same time, it brings some new questions: Should doctors start treatment before the symptoms of autism appear? On medical issues, should we believe computer guesses? According to the Wired website, in the study, the researchers scanned the brains of 59 infants (the infant was 6 months old, and the elder brother or sister was diagnosed with autism). Based on infant behavior and MRI data, artificial intelligence predicts that 9 infants will develop autism. By the age of 2, 11 children were diagnosed with autism, including 9 children predicted by artificial intelligence. (Image by autismepicenter) When studying the development of autism, researchers focus on whether children's family members have autism. If artificial intelligence can predict autism, researchers can greatly expand the scope of research. However, if this research result is applied to medical treatment, a series of practical and ethical issues will emerge. First of all, the prediction of the computer must be accurate and general, and at the current stage, the sample data of the researchers is insufficient. In addition, this information is also difficult to apply. What kind of measures should doctors take for children who may have autism? When treating autism, doctors focus on specific behavioral deficiencies. If these behavioral deficiencies have not yet occurred, how do you determine the treatment? Joseph Piven, a senior researcher at the University of North Carolina, said that after the study was published, parents of many children with autism contacted him and wanted to give their children a brain scan. However, early intervention may cause more problems before the child has symptoms. (Picture from medicalnews) “How does this affect the mental health of parents and their ability to cope with other children, partners, family affairs and work?†said Somer Bishop, a clinical psychologist at the University of California, “I am worried that people will panic and try to find Strict intervention." She believes that parents should focus on more general strategies. "In daily life, such as bathing, changing diapers, feeding, you can do something to encourage children to communicate with you more and play more."