Just a few years later I began working on projects focused on aspects of medical device interoperability. Among the objectives of that work was developing capabilities to support of closed loop control. The initial attempts were driven by very real clinical issues at the time, e.g., PCA safety.

One of the topics that came up from time to time was was the so-called “automation paradox”. There are many versions thereof, but the one that concerned us was how users of increasingly sophisticated systems would know what to do if the system failed, or even if they would recognize a failure as it evolved? I am reminded of the story behind the failure of the 2002 network failure at Beth Israel Hospital in Boston.

(If you’re not reminded of it, just read this: https://www.cio.com/article/270069/networking-halamka-on-beth-israel-s-health-care-it-disaster.html)

I am also reminded of how the pilots at the controls of the 737 MAX aircraft that crashed did not know how to regain control of their planes.

The AI world is already dealing with the automation paradox, more or less associating it with the euphemism “hallucinations”. At this moment, the consequences seem, well, relatively inconsequential. But as this article indicates, it will require vigilance to keep it that way. More to the point, this article suggests how. Maintain your experiential knowledge base.

Oh well, is that all? I’ve still got mine. Ah, but you don’t. You don’t have access to my experience and how it informed me, except perhaps by reading some of the stories I just pointed you towards. . And take it from a 70 year old now retired for almost five years, your younger colleagues won’t have access to yours soon enough, unless you find ways to share them.

Botton line: Tell your stories. Actual stories. Write them up if you can (and they’re not confidential); I’m sure 24×7 will publish them. Discuss them at regional society meetings. Discuss them at national meetings.

Build a story-based knowledge grounded in actual events base to accompany your “just the facts, Jack” database.

And while you’re at it, head on out to ChatGPT and ask it about something you know a bit about. I’ve been delving into what it knows about me. It seems to think (?) I’m still working, among other hallucinations.