The myth of Hephaestus’ golden handmaidens illustrates mankind’s centuries-long fascination with artificial intelligence (AI). The god of the forge created his handmaidens, who could talk and perform even the most difficult tasks, to assist him in his labors, and many people have since speculated about the possible uses of AI and the forms it might take. More recently, noted scientists and futurists, such as Ray Kurzweil; Stephen Hawking, CH, CBE, FRS, FRSA; and Elon Musk, have discussed, debated, and dissected the possibilities and pitfalls of AI. With many AI advances coming in the past few years, some people are beginning to wonder whether it will eventually replace radiologists.
