Proceedings of the Clinical Microbiology Open 2024: artificial intelligence applications in clinical microbiology

The Clinical Microbiology Open (CMO) is a meeting sponsored by the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) in collaboration with its Corporate Council and Clinical and Public Health Microbiology representatives, which is held to discuss topics that are relevant to both industry and practicing clinical microbiologists. The 2024 CMO was held in Oceanside, California on February 1 and 2. Participants included clinical and public health laboratory directors, representatives from government agencies, and biotechnology industry partners. The group engaged in discussions with the theme, "The Lab of the Future." One of the primary topics discussed was artificial intelligence (AI) opportunities in clinical microbiology laboratories. This report summarizes the discussion and sentiment of the group regarding AI tools, opportunities and challenges of AI in clinical laboratories, and potential future directions for AI in clinical microbiology practice.