Artificial intelligence in colonoscopy - Now on the market. What's next?

Abstract

Adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in clinical medicine is revolutionizing daily practice. In the field of colonoscopy, major endoscopy manufacturers have already launched their own AI products on the market with regulatory approval in Europe and Asia. This commercialization is strongly supported by positive evidence that has been recently established through rigorously designed prospective trials and randomized controlled trials. According to some of the trials, AI tools possibly increase the adenoma detection rate by roughly 50% and contribute to a 7-20% reduction of colonoscopy-related costs. Given that reliable evidence is emerging, together with active commercialization, this seems to be a good time for us to review and discuss the current status of AI in colonoscopy from a clinical perspective. In this review, we introduce the advantages and possible drawbacks of AI tools and explore their future potential including the possibility of obtaining reimbursement.