Health experts predict explosive growth in healthcare with AI-powered wearables.

Dr. Hon Pak, Senior Vice President and Head of Digital Health Team, MX Business at Samsung Electronics, met with members of the Samsung Health Advisory Board in early spring 2024 at Samsung Medical Center in Seoul to discuss the future of health, and how AI-powered wearables play an important role in moving the industry forward. Dr. Michael Blum, MD, CEO and co-founder of medical analytics platform BeeKeeper AI, former director of digital transformation for the Division of Cardiology at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF); Dr. David Klonoff, MD, President of the Diabetes Research Institute at Mills Peninsula Medical Center; and Professor Myung Jin Chung, director of the Samsung AI Research Center at Samsung Medical Center (SAIC), shared their insights and unique perspectives on how Samsung can strategically embrace AI, with a specific focus on its next generation of wearables.

What do you think the future of healthcare will be and what role does technology play in it, especially when combined with generative AI?

Professor Chung: In my many years of clinical experience, I have learned that knowing a patient's comprehensive 360-degree health history has immense value. However, it can be difficult to fully understand your lifestyle or key factors of well-being, such as sleep patterns or eating habits, especially when treatment focuses on specific symptoms. Lifelog data obtained from wearables can be useful for healthcare and clinical management to better understand the full context of one's medical history. AI helps doctors by streamlining the management and interpretation of information collected over time, simplifying the process. The future of AI is about distilling everyday vital knowledge to offer a deeper understanding of health based on continuous monitoring through a wearable.

Dr. Flower: As a cardiologist, I also want to add that continuous monitoring is becoming a vital tool in the early detection and prediction of potential disease. For example, conditions such as atrial fibrillation and high blood pressure, which are high-risk and high-impact but manageable through low-intensity interventions, can benefit greatly from such monitoring. By using a smartphone, we can better understand the underlying problems that may be contributing to this, and Samsung can have a big impact in this regard. These tools, powered by AI, can easily convert data into consumable insights as well as actionable insights, allowing people to take proactive steps to reduce potential health risks.

Dr. Klonoff: Glucose monitoring has become more common, not only for diabetes management but also for people who do not yet have diabetes and are interested in leading a healthier lifestyle. As such, there is increasing interest in understanding what behaviors affect glucose levels. Because health metrics are interconnected, combining glucose data with information about sleep, blood pressure, and physical activity level starts deep conversations about people's lifestyles and experiences. If users can gain a deeper understanding of this collective knowledge sooner, then there will be greater opportunities to identify early warning signs of potential health problems such as diabetes. Wearables and AI amplify the value of physiological data, and by integrating glucose information with Samsung Health's comprehensive monitoring, people can gain a broader, more nuanced understanding of metabolic health and facilitate opportunities to improve overall wellness and fitness.

What role do you expect Samsung to play in the changing healthcare landscape?

Dr. Klonoff: We encourage Samsung to not only embrace AI in its health monitoring technology, but to continue to build on its pioneering heritage of innovation to emerge as a leader in promoting behavior change. Through ongoing conversations and collaborative efforts with medical experts, Samsung can help people make the necessary changes in their lives. Taking advantage of this knowledge can encourage people to stay healthy in the long term without feeling overwhelmed, allowing them to lead fuller, more enjoyable lives.

Dr. Flower: I agree that technology integrated into people's lives can be an important step in maintaining everyday well-being and helping prevent serious health problems. These devices should work perfectly in the background in an innocuous way, and Samsung has been a clear leader in this space with its diverse product offering, ranging from smartphones and televisions to home appliances. However, the question that remains is how can we successfully improve people's daily lives from a well-being perspective? It is crucial to connect with users to understand their patterns and encourage positive behavior modifications; Samsung has the potential to push the boundaries of what is possible, so we can all take better care of ourselves and our families.

Professor Chung: I echo Dr. Blum's sentiment that while Samsung devices are already deeply integrated into our daily lives, there are opportunities to further embrace its ecosystem of devices that will facilitate behavioral changes for a happier, healthier tomorrow. However, there is immense power in making behavioral changes with the support of family members, because it is more effective to be accompanied than to take on this challenge alone. Therefore, it is necessary to take advantage of continuous monitoring and knowledge, as well as creating a circle of care with family and friends. Samsung can greatly contribute to creating a circle of care by leveraging its expertise and advanced capabilities to maximize social connections to give users greater insight about themselves and their loved ones.