In this podcast episode, the last of the ESICM podcast series on Innovation in Intensive Care, we explore the transformative role of artificial intelligence in healthcare education and clinical practice. The discussion covers the impact of AI on clinical decision-making, the risks of deskilling, the future of personalised learning, AI-enhanced simulation, the potential of virtual and augmented reality, and why every clinician may need a basic understanding of AI and data science to thrive in the future of healthcare. Listen to Professor Laura Hawryluck interviewed by our outstanding expert, Paul Elbers.

Mechanical ventilation remains a cornerstone of intensive care, but innovation in this field now extends far beyond the ventilator itself. Today, advances in monitoring, data analytics, decision-support systems, and artificial intelligence are transforming the way clinicians manage critically ill patients.

How can these technologies help us deliver more personalised and effective care? And where does the real innovation lie—in the machines, the data, or the way clinicians use them?

In this podcast, we explore how innovation is shaping the future of mechanical ventilation and intensive care.

What kind of intelligence are we bringing into the ICU—and how can it support, rather than replace, clinicians?

As AI and data-driven tools become part of everyday intensive care, clinicians must learn how to integrate these technologies into their decision-making. But what is required to build trust in these models? Do they need to be fully explainable, biologically plausible, or demonstrate causality, or should we accept a degree of uncertainty if they improve patient care?

In this episode, we explore how we can educate clinicians to work effectively with AI and how data-driven approaches can complement, rather than replace, clinical expertise.