Text-to-Video GenAI + Healthcare

I’ve been exploring text-to-video generative AI and it’s clear that it will disrupt how information is shared with patients, and within the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries.

So, What Exactly is Text-to-Video AI?

OpenAI's Sora broke the internet when it was announced, and other tools like Luma have closely followed suit.

Imagine a world where crafting a compelling patient education video is as simple as typing a description. Text-to-video AI does just that. By feeding the AI with text descriptions of concepts, procedures, or even clinical data, the tool generates high-quality videos complete with visuals, animations, and narration. This is so cool and and empowers non-techy people to create this type of content. But, on the other hand, the text-to-video AI has the potential to minimise the need for human video production crews. This, along with electricity consumption needs to be considered.

Use Cases in Healthcare

• Patient Education: Complicated medical topics can be explained in a clear and engaging way through text-to-video AI in the consulting room in real-time. Imagine a patient receiving a personalised video explaining their upcoming surgery or a chronic condition. This can improve patient understanding, increase health literacy, reduce anxiety, and foster better communication with healthcare providers.

• Medical Training: New medical procedures and techniques can be effectively communicated through these types of videos. These videos can be tailored to different learning styles, incorporating animations and simulations to enhance knowledge retention for medical professionals.

• Public Health Awareness: Spreading awareness about public health issues becomes significantly easier with text-to-video AI. Healthcare organisations can create inclusive videos in multiple languages to educate communities about preventative care, disease outbreaks, and healthy habits.

Transforming Pharma

The pharmaceutical industry can leverage text-to-video AI in several ways:

• Drug Discovery Communication: Complex scientific data related to drug trials and mechanisms of action can be transformed into clear and concise video presentations. This can expedite communication between researchers, streamline regulatory processes, and attract potential investors.

• Patient Recruitment: Clinical trials often struggle with patient recruitment and there's a whole bunch of AIs trying to address this. Text-to-video AI can be used to create informative and engaging videos explaining the trial process and potential benefits of participation. This can lead to unlocking pools of potential participants and faster enrolment rates.

• Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Marketing:  Text-to-video AI can be a powerful tool for creating targeted DTC marketing campaigns (more applicable overseas than in Australia, but still). Educational videos explaining a condition and the proposed treatment option can be tailored to specific patient demographics, leading to a more informed consumer base.

The Ethical Lens: Balancing Progress with People

Here's where things get interesting. While text-to-video AI offers a plethora of benefits, we need to consider the ethical implications:

• The Impact on Human Video Production Crews: There's no denying that AI-generated videos have the potential to reduce the need for human video production crews. This raises concerns about job displacement and the impact on creative professionals in the field. As AI continues to evolve, we need to ensure a just transition and 'future skills' upskilling for those whose jobs might be affected.

• The Environmental Cost: Training and running AI models requires significant computing power, which translates to electricity consumption. As we embrace AI for healthcare communication, we need to be mindful of its environmental footprint and find ways to optimise energy efficiency.

• Transparency and Control: Understanding how AI-generated videos are created and who controls the algorithms is crucial. Transparency builds trust, and ensuring human oversight remains essential, especially in the healthcare sector.

The Future is Bright (and Full of Videos!)

The future of healthcare communication is brimming with possibilities. Text-to-video AI has the potential to bridge the gap between complex medical information and clear, accessible communication. Imagine a world where patients can easily understand their diagnoses, medical professionals can learn new techniques with engaging simulations, and public health awareness campaigns reach a wider audience than ever before.

This technology isn't just about efficiency; it's about empowering individuals and fostering a more informed and engaged healthcare landscape. By addressing the ethical considerations and ensuring responsible development, we can harness the power of AI to create a future where healthcare communication is clear, effective, and accessible to all.