ETHICAL CHALLENGES IN AI-DRIVEN HEALTHCARE: ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVES

Abstract

This thesis investigates the challenges arising from the growing integration of advanced technologies particularly Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the contemporary healthcare systems. As global healthcare systems undergo a digital transformation, the promises of AI applications, spanning from improved diagnostics to personalized treatment plans, are accompanied by various ethical challenges and considerations. The thesis explores ethical challenges, including algorithmic biases, privacy concerns, transparency in decision-making processes, and the evolving roles of healthcare professionals. The study delves into the nuanced realm of patient data protection, consent mechanisms, and the far-reaching implications of algorithmic decision-making on the ever-evolving AI driven healthcare environment. The thesis identifies the primary ethical concerns associated with AI enabled healthcare systems, such as patient data privacy, algorithmic bias as well as transparency in decision-making and medical accountability in the AI enabled healthcare setup and explores the ethical considerations taken to address these ethical concerns in the secular setup. In the last chapter Islamic ethical perspectives will be discussed to further enrich and add on the secular perspective. Examples and case studies from the real-world are presented to show the importance of the ethical dimensions of AI adoption in healthcare, emphasizing the need for ethical practices. These case studies elaborate the research questions by presenting examples of the ethical challenges like the question of bias, privacy and accountability in the AI enabled healthcare setup and the negative influence it has on the healthcare field. By exploring an Islamic ethical perspective on the subject, this thesis advocates for a balanced approach that not only harnesses the transformative potential of AI to enhance healthcare delivery but also upholds the ethical standard and due respect to the patient in alignment with Islamic values.

Date of Award	2025
Original language	American English
Awarding Institution	HBKU College of Islamic Studies