Artificial intelligence in healthcare: Technical advances, clinical integration, and future perspectives

Abstract

This narrative review examines the evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare, with a focus on the transition from early rule-based systems to modern deep learning architectures and their integration into clinical practice. We examine foundational technologies, including convolutional neural networks for image interpretation, vision transformers for modeling long-range dependencies, and generative adversarial networks for image reconstruction and synthesis. The review further discusses the emergence of multimodal foundation models that integrate imaging with textual and genomic data to enhance diagnostic robustness. The application of these technologies is analyzed across three primary domains: Radiology (image enhancement and automated interpretation), cardiology (electrocardiographic and echocardiography analysis), and oncology (tumor classification and treatment planning). Specific attention is given to the national context in Türkiye, highlighting local initiatives such as TEKNOFEST and TÜBİTAK-supported projects that foster domestic AI development. While AI offers significant benefits in terms of diagnostic accuracy and treatment workflow optimization, challenges regarding data privacy, algorithmic bias, and interpretability (“black box” issues) persist. Future progress depends on the development of explainable AI, rigorous prospective validation, and the establishment of ethical regulatory frameworks.