Artificial Intelligence – Friend or Foe?

It’s no secret that AI is everywhere in today’s society. You turn on the TV and see the new Coca-Cola ad created with 70,000 AI prompts, then maybe you open Google, and no matter how many times you download an ad blocker, a Gemini AI summary pops up. Even in class, it’s inevitable to see a stray ChatGPT tab here and there. These uses are tangible; we see them day to day, to the point where it’s normalized, but where is AI truly changing the status quo? Are these new uses helpful or harmful? Two extremely different and distinct fields – painting conservation and radiology have found themselves seeped with new AI innovations. New AI programs can read X-rays in place of human doctors, streamlining the process. In the art world, AI can scan paintings and make a new layer of missing pigments to place on top of the existing work.

Drawing Courtesy of Yuyao Zhu

AI: A Burnout-Preventing Companion 

By Gwynn Canfield

In the past few years, the prevalence of artificial intelligence has seemingly exploded across all areas of society. Professors and teachers across the world have been forced to add an “artificial intelligence policies” section to their syllabus. You can’t visit a short-form video platform, like Instagram Reels, without seeing some sort of scarily lifelike, unimaginable image that is a product of AI. 

It feels like the world is being consumed by this novel invention. When all we experience is the negative effects of AI, it becomes hard to appreciate the hidden benefits that can add to our lives without consuming us.

The human brain gets tired – it is simply part of being a living thing. AI can be beneficial for the workplace, improving efficiency and allowing for a higher satisfaction among workers. It doesn’t have to replace people, but rather can replace the dirty work and allow humans to place their energy into more productive endeavors.

A great example is radiology, which involves interpreting images to diagnose diseases and injuries. It often requires the processing of large amounts of data at once, such as analyzing the results of a full genome sequence analysis, which places strain on the brains of even the most skilled radiologists. 

The European Journal of Radiology Artificial Intelligence notes that “The human brain is inherently limited in its ability to process vast and varied streams of information simultaneously.” Additionally, a Radiology Business study found that 54% of radiologists reported burnout, with the profession ranking 7th out of 29 physician specialties for burnout rates. 

Although radiologists are highly skilled, their energy could be saved and delegated to other relevant tasks if AI is allowed to step in for these dense, detail-oriented portions of the job. 

The field of art restoration, or the repair of damaged artworks, could also benefit from a similar AI assistance. The job typically involves two stages: analysis and restoration. The restoration portion depends on analytical decisions, and a wrong move could lead to further, irreversible damage on the painting. 

Each painting is made of different materials and therefore ages differently, requiring an art restorer to have an immense bank of knowledge. Sometimes the exact materials used in a painting may be unknown.

This is where AI algorithms come in. They are first trained by a large dataset of images, which consists of an artist’s other artworks and allows the AI to learn the appropriate style. The program can then use this information to generate an image of how a restored painting would look. 

Multiple art restorers can then assess this image and either proceed or try a different technique. According to WOVEN: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Dietrich College, this can “significantly accelerate, minimize costs, and increase the success rates of intervention.” ​​

Many fear that this implementation of AI will lead to a decrease in available jobs. However, in these two job examples, there are certain aspects that only a human can do. The ethical decision making involved in restoring a painting can never be replaced by AI, nor can the patient interaction or clinical judgement required for a radiologist. 

We often forget that we are the creators of AI – it is not something that can simply take over the world. We choose how it contributes to society, and we should utilize it in a way that improves efficiency and quality of life. 

A Lack of Humanity – A Lack of Tact

By Minty Mintz

How much schooling can be replaced by new-age artificial intelligence in the year 2025? An undergraduate degree, four years in medical school, four years of residency, and a fellowship. Or maybe it was an undergraduate degree, multiple different post-undergraduate internships, and a highly competitive master’s degree? 

New developments from prominent institutions, such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Indiana University School of Medicine, and Massachusetts General Hospital, have led to an increased usage within professional workspaces, but is this expansion actually helpful? While many think this is a step into the future – an overreliance and too high expectations for the non-human entity beg to differ.

The most apparent issue with the implementation of artificial intelligence into the workplace is the displacement of jobs. According to the International Monetary Fund, AI will impact 40% of global employment and 60% of jobs in advanced economies, which radiology and painting conservation comfortably fit into. 

Although fields themselves are projected to expand, the work within them is threatened. In an already extremely small career, with fewer than 11,000 positions in the public and private sectors, art conservation is already an extremely competitive discipline, and AI is taking up entire positions in radiology. Losing some of the job market to artificial intelligence would significantly affect the economic impact of these fields. 

The ethical implications behind the switch to AI are also of major concern. Alex Kachkine, the creator of the AI software used for painting conservation, has commented on the newly created dilemma. The current software recreates images from paintings created by the artist in other works, creating a direct copy of the features from the paintings. Curators and conservators alike fear that these bold assumptions from AI have led to a loss within the quiddity of a work. However, the ethical predicament in medicine has taken a different form – mainly through consumer acceptance, with only 40% of Americans reporting that they would be comfortable with AI being relied on as part of their healthcare. 57% stated that the use of artificial intelligence in diagnosing illness would make the patient-provider relationship worse. The general distrust and distaste towards AI make it a hard sell for many. 

However, the most daunting issue is the ability to use artificial intelligence to cut corners. Artificial intelligence, while rapidly improving, is not foolproof – that image you just generated of your dog having an extra tail or the medical issue you’re asking ChatGPT for help with came back as cancer. It is just not reliable. This translates to radiology – AI has an average overall accuracy of only 79.5% while the human radiologists have an average of 84.8%. A lack of datasets is what leads to the issue of accuracy. Due to the nature of the medical field, there is a limited scope of places for the AI to draw existing information from, leading to a less precise tool. Right now, the data sets for niche fields like art conservation and radiology are just a teaspoon compared to the ocean of information for everyday AI usage.

References:

Bassi, M. (2025, June 13). Graduate Student Develops an A.I.-Based Approach to Restore Time-Damaged Artwork to Its Former Glory. Smithsonian Magazine. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/graduate-student-develops-an-ai-based-approach-to-restore-time-damaged-artwork-to-its-former-glory-180986799/

Betancor, J., Finn, D., García, A., & Mata, A. L. (2019). “Artificial Intelligence in Contemporary Art”: Is it Possible to Preserve the Algorithm? – Electronic Media Review. Electronic Media Review, 6. https://resources.culturalheritage.org/emg-review/artificial-intelligence-in-contemporary-art-is-it-possible-to-preserve-the-algorithm/

Chu, J. (2025, June 11). Have a damaged painting? Restore it in just hours with an AI-generated “mask.” MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. https://news.mit.edu/2025/restoring-damaged-paintings-using-ai-generated-mask-0611

Livni, E. (2025, August 22). The Hobbyist Restorer Who Rocked the Art World With an A.I. Innovation. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/22/world/europe/art-restoration-ai-innovation.html

Nensa, F. (2025). The future of radiology: The path towards multimodal AI and superdiagnostics. European Journal of Radiology Artificial Intelligence, 2, 100014. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrai.2025.100014 

‌Chustecki, M. (2024). Benefits and Risks of AI in Health Care: Narrative Review. Interactive Journal of Medical Research, 13(e53616). https://doi.org/10.2196/53616 

Rezk, S. M. M. (2023). The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Graphic Design. Journal of Art, Design and Music, 2(1). https://doi.org/10.55554/2785-9649.1005

Tableau. (2023). What Is the History of Artificial Intelligence (AI)? Tableau; Salesforce. https://www.tableau.com/data-insights/ai/history

Radiologists once again rank among the most burned-out specialists. (2025, September 30). Radiology Business. https://radiologybusiness.com/topics/healthcare-management/medical-practice-management/radiologists-rank-among-most-burned-out-specialists