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A big idea that shapes how we understand our place in the world - from the idea’s creator.

What are the big ideas shaping our world?  This new series from the BBC World Service picks the best ideas from economics to psychology, neuroscience to philosophy, political science to anthropology, and makes them easy to digest.

Each episode of "The Big Idea" outlines the important idea through the words of the person who’s developed the theory. In just nine minutes we offer a weekly chance to listen and feel just a little bit wiser.

The Big Idea: A future without doctors?

A Future Without Doctors?

01/09/2018 GMT

A future without doctors?

BBC World Service - The Big Idea, A future without doctors?

AI will be of assistance, but surely we’ll always need surgeons, doctors, and nurses?

AI will be of assistance, but surely we’ll always need surgeons, doctors, and nurses?  Economist Dan Susskind says we’re at the start of a medical revolution.

Can you imagine a future without doctors?  We’re in the midst of a robotics and Artificial Intelligence revolution.  Many jobs humans currently do will in future be carried out by machine.  But what about those in the medical profession?  AI will be of assistance, but surely we’ll always need surgeons, doctors, and nurses?  Well, the Oxford University economist Daniel Susskind is not so sure.  He believes that many of the tasks currently carried out by doctors will soon be performed by machine.  So can doctors survive by reinventing themselves? 

Presenter: David Edmonds 
Producer: Ben Cooper

(Image: Operating theatre. Credit: Getty)

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