Patient and Public Involvement in Healthcare AI: Perspectives from Science and Technology Studies

This commentary argues that the active participation of patients and the public is essential for developing a more ethical and scientifically robust healthcare AI, one that transforms patients’ everyday knowledge into scientific insights. It begins by introducing conceptual tools and case studies from the field of Science and Technology Studies (STS) that facilitate patient and public involvement in healthcare AI. Using Jeanette Pols’ study of a community of patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) as a focal example, this commentary highlights the crucial role STS can play in integrating patients’ knowledge and expertise into the development and application of AI.