Paper short abstract:

This paper explores AI-assisted technologies used in dementia research for diagnosis and care. I investigate these innovations through the lens of Neuroanthropology, Medical Anthropology, STS, Human-Machine Interaction, and Sociotechnical Theory to envision an Anthropology of AI futures.

Paper long abstract:

Socio-technical studies of neurodegenerative diseases in Futures Anthropology and AI in Medicine are imperative. The societal and economic impacts of dementia are being assessed by public health in the context of demographic factors such as the rate of aging in the global population, progressive changes in the family model, increased responsibility of women in the workforce and as caregivers, immigration dynamics, sociocultural differences, and other global health phenomena. A generalized concern about the sustainability of healthcare and social support systems is now aggravated by the current global crisis brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, which exposed the fragility of existing public health systems and traditional social models of care for the elderly and those who suffer from neurodegenerative conditions and disabilities.

Current biomedical AI technologies mainly target the needs of physicians and healthcare organizations. AI-assisted neuroimaging and face recognition algorithms figure prominently among innovations under development for dementia diagnosis and care. Furthermore, AI research in medicine is considered a strategic endeavor to confront the socio-economic challenges represented by the impact of demographic aging while being viewed as an opportunity for reforms within traditional medical practice. However, I argue that AI developments in dementia research cannot be viewed as an all-encompassing solution to the existing and expected future healthcare crises concerning vulnerable populations affected by neurodegenerative diseases, for the very enterprise of AI innovation carries a myriad of critical issues linked to social, legal, economic, organizational and ethical concerns.