Between the algorithm and the Hippocratic Oath: bioethics in the age of artificial intelligence

Abstract

The advancement of artificial intelligence has profoundly transformed medical practice. From clinical decisionsupport
systems to screening and diagnostic algorithms, artificial intelligence has demonstrated potential
for early diagnosis, personalized therapies, resource optimization, error reduction, and expanded access to
specialized care. However, this technological revolution imposes significant ethical challenges on the classic
principles of bioethics, such as beneficence, non-maleficence, confidentiality, and respect for patient autonomy,
enshrined since the Hippocratic Oath. The incorporation of artificial intelligence into medicine raises tensions
between automated efficiency and human values. This article reviews the literature on the primary ethical
dilemmas of applying artificial intelligence in medical practice and evaluates to what extent Hippocratic
principles can be preserved or adapted in the face of technological transformations, aiming to contribute to the
debate on the ethical directions of contemporary medicine in a scenario of increasing automation.