Reread on a weekly La Favola by Gianni Rodari, The car to do your homeworkhe brought me back over the years: to the elementary school desks and to my teacher from then who loved to propose Rodari reciting him. A precorious fairy tale can be said today without too much imagination.

Yes, because a study just published on Lancet He tells us that the AI ​​as a medical helper – in the case in question to diagnose colon tumors – has the secondary effect of hanging the health workers and impoverishing their skills, just like Rodari’s child who gave his brain in exchange for the car.

The study on Lancet was reported to us by Professor Stefano Petti – which we thank – and is titled Risk of dequalification of the endoscopist after exhibition to artificial intelligence in colonoscopy: a multicenter observational study.

“The researchers found the usefulness of the AI ​​in identifying colon cancer through endoscopy, but then they realized a defined phenomenon deskilling by the endoscopists whodeprived of the app were no longer able to recognize colon cancer – Petti clarified – In fact, their ability dropped from 28% before the use of the app to 22% after the app habit but without using the app “.

In short, the use of artificial intelligence does not automatically translate into an improvement in diagnoses and performance.

The conclusion of the publication seems to follow Rodari’s message.

“What if the tasks do the car to him what the brain is used for?” The funny omit to the child’s father said. The little man took my brain and put it in a handbag. How light was it without brain! So light that I started to fly to the room and if the dad had not grabbed me in time I would have flown down the window. “We will have to keep it in a cage – said the little man.” But why? Shaba asked. “He has no more brain, that’s why if you let him go around, he will fly to the woods like a bird and in a few days he will starve.”

It is not the ai in question, it is we who lose human quality by entrusting ourselves in full to machines. The memory goes away before the due to the mobile phone. The muscles atrophize if we only use cars and elevators. After all, even the money would risk disappearing from the current account (with a quick black out) trusting that they can do without the cash. Because, as Rodari teaches, giving the brain in return you find yourself in a cage.