Plastic surgeons can apply “emotional AI” algorithms to social media as a way of predicting which specific services will bring in business, according to a study running in the August edition of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
Heather Levites, MD, of Duke and colleagues used commercially available AI software to search and analyze emotional reactions to various specialty-relevant words and terms as hashtagged on Twitter.
“Nose job” generated the most buzz but didn’t rouse emotions, leading the authors to conclude it would “likely not drive action.”
By comparison, “liposuction” ranked only fifth in awareness yet emotionally engaged commenters the most.
The strongest positive motivation was stirred by the general subjects of plastic surgery and cosmetic surgery, while “tummy tucks” showed the fewest signs of motivated engagement.
More clinical terminology—“autologous,” “aesthetic,” “DIEP flap breast reconstruction” and so on—drew so few reactions that the researchers excluded them from the study.
In their discussion, the authors state that theirs is the first study to describe “the unique viewpoint and power that emotional artificial intelligence technology can deliver.”
The toolset also allows users to analyze data by gender, political affiliation and geographic location, among other variables of interest to healthcare providers offering plastic surgery services, Levites et al. add.
“The detail that can be derived from this tool is as limitless as the investigator’s imagination,” the authors conclude. “As board-certified plastic surgeons, we need to embrace this and similar technologies or ignore them at our own peril.”
The study is available in full for free.
Dave P. has worked in journalism, marketing and public relations for more than 30 years, frequently concentrating on hospitals, healthcare technology and Catholic communications. He has also specialized in fundraising communications, ghostwriting for CEOs of local, national and global charities, nonprofits and foundations.