Nvidia’s AI-powered healthcare agents outperform nurses and cost just $9 an hour

Nvidia has partnered with Hippocratic AI, a company focusing on AI in healthcare, to create AI-driven "agents." These agents aim to be more effective than human nurses, especially during video calls, and are significantly cheaper to employ.

The collaboration aims to produce "empathetic healthcare agents" that can connect better with patients through quick and responsive conversations, thanks to Nvidia's technology and Hippocratic AI's specialized healthcare AI model.

Over 1,000 nurses and 100 doctors have already put these AI agents to the test, along with many healthcare providers who are exploring their use for tasks that don't involve making diagnoses.

Hippocratic AI's tools have shown impressive performance, not just over AI systems like OpenAI's GPT-4 but also outdoing human nurses in various tests. For example, they've been better at identifying how medications affect lab results and spotting unsafe doses of over-the-counter drugs.

Nvidia and Hippocratic AI believe these AI agents can help address the shortage of healthcare workers in the U.S. by offering a cost-effective alternative that enhances patient care without compromising the quality of interaction.

Munjal Shah of Hippocratic AI highlights the partnership's goal to refine their technology to tackle staffing issues and improve healthcare access and outcomes. Nvidia's Kimberly Powell emphasizes the potential of voice-based AI agents to bring a new era of plentiful healthcare resources, stressing the importance of these agents responding to patients in a human-like manner.

Moreover, these AI agents are much cheaper than hiring human nurses, costing only $9 an hour — compared to the median nurse hourly wage of over $39 in 2022, as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.