Meta's Chief AI scientist Yann LeCun highlights the life-saving power of AI in healthcare and transportation

At Nasscom AI Confluence in Delhi, Yann LeCun, Chief AI Scientist at Meta, highlighted some of the remarkable ways AI is transforming key sectors such as healthcare and transportation. From reducing road accidents to improving early diagnoses in medical imaging, LeCun stressed how AI is already saving lives and improving quality of life.

LeCun explained how AI-powered systems like automatic emergency braking are reducing frontal collisions by 40%, adding, “It’s a camera that looks at the windshield and detects obstacles, and the car will automatically brake if there is an obstacle.” This technology has become mandatory in the European Union, proving its effectiveness in preventing accidents.

In healthcare, AI is making waves in medical image analysis. LeCun shared, “If you’re a woman, you have a mammogram in the U.S., in a number of other countries, the image is screened very often by the AI system.” AI doesn’t replace doctors but helps them by flagging non-suspicious cases, allowing radiologists to focus on potentially problematic images. This collaboration between AI and doctors has improved diagnostic accuracy and patient outcomes.

Meta’s FastMRI project, which LeCun initiated, also offers a clear example of AI’s life-saving potential. “Instead of having to lie down for an hour in an MRI machine…you can reduce this by a factor of four. That means tumors are detected earlier, and people’s lives get saved,” LeCun noted, emphasising how AI is making medical procedures more accessible and affordable.