Artificial Intelligence and Cancer Health Equity: Bridging the Divide or Widening the Gap.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review aims to evaluate the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on cancer health equity, specifically investigating whether AI is addressing or widening disparities in cancer outcomes.

RECENT FINDINGS: Recent studies demonstrate significant advancements in AI, such as deep learning for cancer diagnosis and predictive analytics for personalized treatment, showing potential for improved precision in care. However, concerns persist about the performance of AI tools across diverse populations due to biased training data. Access to AI technologies also remains limited, particularly in low-income and rural settings. AI holds promise for advancing cancer care, but its current application risks exacerbating existing health disparities. To ensure AI benefits all populations, future research must prioritize inclusive datasets, integrate social determinants of health, and develop ethical frameworks. Addressing these challenges is crucial for AI to contribute positively to cancer health equity and guide future research and policy development.