UCI hearing-loss researcher, other experts say AI can transform hearing healthcare, research

In a paper published online in the journal Nature Machine Intelligence, experts from the U.K. and U.S. call for artificial intelligence to be applied to advancing research and developing new therapies to meet the growing global demand for hearing care. In its latest report on deafness and hearing loss, the World Health Organization projects that by 2050, nearly 2.5 billion people will experience some degree of hearing loss, with 700 million requiring rehabilitation. Most of those currently affected do not receive treatment, and for those who do, it’s often inadequate. “Hearing loss is a huge problem, and we believe that AI can provide the solution,” said senior author Fan-Gang Zeng, Ph.D., professor of otolaryngology in the UCI School of Medicine and director of the UCI Center for Hearing Research. “There’s an urgent need to leverage existing technologies and develop new AI tools to improve the diagnosis and treatment of many common conditions and more effectively deliver hearing care worldwide.”