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How AI-washing and healthcare marketing vagaries damages brand trust

AI-washing erodes credibility and trust among healthcare technology buyers who cannot easily verify the sophistication of these algorithms.
By admin
Aug 5, 2024, 8:03 AM

In the world of global marketing, “washing” runs rampant. It started almost 20 years ago with false or misleading claims about the environmental friendliness of products which became known as “green washing.” One of the more famous examples was exaggerated claims made by Volkswagen about “clean diesel” which not surprisingly became known as Diesel-gate!  

Fast forward to 2024 where every healthcare technology company MUST have some reference to their artificial intelligence or generative AI prowess. AI has become table stakes and saying to a prospect that “we don’t really use AI” would result in a gasp, or hysterical laughter. 

Enter AI-washing. 

The problem is that AI algorithms can be used for the most rudimentary healthcare tasks. Obviously, advanced algorithms are also being used in quantum computing settings to treat very complicated ailments.  

The challenge is that many healthcare technology buyers do not get to see under the hood to observe how sophisticated that algorithm is. It is not until a beta test of the product that the functionality goes from a sell sheet to reality for the moment of truth.  

In the meantime, many healthcare technology brands must develop a sense of trust in the marketplace by presenting vagaries or in some cases exaggerated claims about the efficacy of their AI instance across tightly integrated product sets.  

I would argue that AI is not the only healthcare technology being washed. Cybersecurity comes to mind with Zero-trust-washing and blockchain-washing. Not too long ago, IT leaders were complaining to me in focus groups about Pop Health-washing. And lest we forget Value-Based-washing.  

So what should vendors and their customers do to cut through the wash cycles?  

  • Demand real-life use cases bolstered with empirical improvement in outcomes and value. This should include quotes or testimonials from providers who have direct experience with the deployments and results.  
  • Get as specific as possible on the precise application of the technology you are washing to eliminate the vagaries. Blanket terms like “AI-powered” add absolutely no meaning as to what is being powered and will lead to suspicion. 
  • Have patients talk about how the technology being washed has positively affected their recovery, their healthcare finances, and their families.  

Any advanced technology will have a trust-building period where specific use cases and efficacy will be vague. But that period will be short-lived as the technology category matures, which in the case of AI has been in months rather than years. This will require a totally new cadence for building street cred for shiny new objects in healthcare tech.   


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