Microsoft is developing an artificial intelligence tool that diagnoses complex medical cases with greater accuracy than doctors

Microsoft is developing an artificial intelligence tool capable of making medical diagnoses through a step-by-step process resembling a doctor’s consultation. According to a study published Thursday in the journal Science, the system was more than twice as accurate as general practitioners when analyzing rare and complex cases.

Unlike models that assess all available symptoms and test results simultaneously, the tool uses a “diagnostic orchestrator.” It coordinates a simulated group of clinical experts, determines the relevant questions, selects information from the patient’s medical history, and recommends additional tests or investigations.

Researchers tested the system on more than 300 difficult medical cases, as well as on scenarios drawn from a database of patients admitted to emergency departments. The tool produced better results than doctors who used textbooks and the internet, while planning the investigations involved lower costs.

Microsoft stresses, however, that the results do not demonstrate that the technology can replace doctors. The next stage will involve testing the system in collaboration with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston to support triage in emergency departments.