Listening

Warm Up

Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. take notes
    • ex. Students are encouraged to take notes in class to understand the lesson better.
  2. burnout
    • ex. After working long hours for weeks, he experienced burnout and needed a break.
  3. complex
    • ex. The puzzle was too complex. He finally solved it after three days.
  4. misinterpret
    • ex. The teacher encourages students to ask questions so they don't misinterpret the instructions.
  5. a fine
    • ex. Drivers must pay fines whenever they break traffic rules.

Article

Read the article below and answer your tutor's questions.

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New AI tools are helping thousands of doctors communicate with their patients. Some tools are used to answer messages, and others are used to take notes during checkups. These AI tools help doctors save time and avoid burnout. However, some people worry it will change how doctors and patients communicate. They also worry about safety, privacy, and the future of human relationships.

Nowadays, AI tools can respond to complex instructions by predicting human language. This means doctors could be using AI without the patient knowing. Some doctors tell their patients about it, but some don’t. But there is one problem: AI tools can sometimes misinterpret instructions or even produce false information. That’s why it is the doctor’s job to check and prevent mistakes.

Are the patients’ data safe? In the U.S., the law requires hospitals to make sure their partner AI companies protect patients’ health information. If not, the Department of Health and Human Services could investigate the AI companies. If an AI company is guilty, it could be asked to pay fines.

This material was based on an article by The Associated Press.

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

AI Tools in Hospitals

  • In your opinion, should patients be informed that their doctors use AI to take notes during checkups? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Some AI tools can misinterpret instructions or even produce false information. How can doctors avoid these mistakes (ex. always read the information from AI before giving it to the patient)? Discuss.
  • Imagine that you’re a doctor. Would you use AI tools for your work? Why or why not? Discuss.

Avoiding Burnout

  • How do you think AI tools can help doctors avoid burnout (ex. by making their job easier, by saving time)? Discuss.
  • Aside from doctors, what other careers do you think are most likely to experience burnout (ex. lawyers, businessmen)? Why? Discuss.
  • How do you avoid burnout? Discuss.