A practical guide to implementing artificial intelligence in traditional East Asian medicine research

Integr Med Res. 2024 Sep;13(3):101067. doi: 10.1016/j.imr.2024.101067. Epub 2024 Jul 7.

Abstract

In this paper, we present a comprehensive guide for implementing artificial intelligence (AI) techniques in traditional East Asian medicine (TEAM) research. We cover essential aspects of the AI model development pipeline, including research objective establishment, data collection and preprocessing, model selection, evaluation, and interpretation. The unique considerations in applying AI to TEAM datasets, such as data scarcity, imbalance, and model interpretability, are discussed. We provide practical tips and recommendations based on best practices and our own experience. The potential of large language models in TEAM research is also highlighted. Finally, we discuss the challenges and future directions of AI application in TEAM, emphasizing the need for standardized data collection and sharing platforms.

Keywords: Artificial intelligence; Machine learning; Medical AI; Traditional Chinese medicine; Traditional East Asian medicine.