Artificial intelligence and dermatology: opportunities, challenges, and future directions.

The application of artificial intelligence (AI) to medicine has considerable potential within dermatology, where the majority of diagnoses are based on visual pattern recognition. Opportunities for AI in dermatology include the potential to automate repetitive tasks; optimize time-consuming tasks; extend limited medical resources; improve interobserver reliability issues; and expand the diagnostic toolbox of dermatologists. To achieve the full potential of AI, however, developers must aim to create algorithms representing diverse patient populations; ensure algorithm output is ultimately interpretable; validate algorithm performance prospectively; preserve human-patient interaction when necessary; and demonstrate validity in the eyes of regulatory bodies. (C) 2019 Frontline Medical Communications