It’s easy to get drawn in by flashy uses of AI in healthcare. It’s much harder to figure out which ones are actually good ideas and which ones just sound cool.

“People like to fall in love with AI…and then suddenly [you] realize, wow, it costs a lot of money, and it’s more complex than we thought, and our scope creep is real. And suddenly, your project is failing,” Kathleen Walch, director of AI engagement and learning at Project Management Institute, a professional membership and training organization, told Healthcare Brew.

By some experts’ estimates, about 80% of AI projects fail, which is twice the rate for IT projects not involving AI, according to 2024 research by the nonprofit RAND Corporation. So how do you invest in AI that is worth the cost? It all comes down to considering the details.

“Think big, start small, and iterate often,” Walch said.

Here’s how experts find the right AI tools.—CC

From glasses to AirPods, inventors are getting increasingly creative with hearing aids, so it’s no surprise the tech is now buying into the buzzword of the century: artificial intelligence (AI).

Hearing aids use AI to detect falls, identify and eliminate background noise, and translate language for the 15% of US adults (37.5 million) with some trouble hearing, Caroline Dadowski, assistant professor of audiology at Florida’s Nova Southeastern University, told Healthcare Brew. In 2019, 7.1% of adults aged 45 and over used a hearing aid.

She hopes that in the future, AI will make even more of a difference.

“While I’m optimistic about the future of AI and technology in hearing aids, each new release from manufacturers seems to offer only incremental improvements compared to previous devices. I’m still waiting for that big breakthrough,” Dadowski said.

Learn more about how hearing aid tech has changed.—CC

Jay Bhattacharya is officially the new NIH director.

The Senate voted to confirm the Stanford University professor’s appointment on March 26 in a 53–47 vote. Marty Makary was also confirmed as FDA commissioner in the same hearing in a 56–44 vote.

The appointments come as additional “healthcare disruptors,” alongside Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s confirmation as HHS secretary and Mehmet Oz’s nomination as head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The nominees have faced backlash from the medical community following their controversial stances on topics like vaccinations and alternative medical practices.

“Dissent is the very essence of science. I will foster a culture where NIH leadership will actively encourage different perspectives and create an environment where scientists—including early-career scientists—can express disagreement respectfully,” Bhattacharya said during his March 5 hearing.

Here’s where Bhattacharya and the NIH currently stand.—CM