TL;DR
Get oils, diffusers and self-care delivered free with Prime
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
- Member-only deals all year
MedPage Today will host a live webinar on Thursday, October 29, featuring bioethicist and oncologist Ezekiel J. Emanuel and moderator Jeremy Faust. The discussion follows Emanuel’s argument that doctors should experiment with AI models placed in control, a position that differs from policies favoring AI as an assistive tool. The webinar is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. ET; attendees can submit questions in advance and registrants can receive a recording.
MedPage Today will host a live webinar on Thursday, October 29, about whether artificial intelligence should take a more autonomous role in healthcare, with bioethicist and oncologist Ezekiel J. Emanuel discussing a position that has drawn debate among clinicians. Editor-in-chief Jeremy Faust will moderate the event, scheduled for 12:30 p.m. ET.
The webinar announcement follows a recent opinion article by Emanuel in The Atlantic. Emanuel argued that physicians should be willing to test AI systems in arrangements that put the technology “in control.” He described medical practice as “largely algorithmic” and said highly trained AI models could help reduce misdiagnoses and administrative work. These are Emanuel’s arguments, not findings established by the webinar announcement.
The event is billed as a discussion of Emanuel’s vision for AI in healthcare and changes in the medical landscape. Faust will moderate; Emanuel is listed as the featured guest. MedPage Today says audience members may submit questions before the event by commenting on its announcement.
People who cannot attend live may still register to receive a recording, according to the event information. The announcement provides the date and time but does not specify a webinar platform, registration deadline, or whether the recording will be available to the public without registration.
Debate Over AI’s Medical Role
The event addresses a practical question for patients and clinicians: how much decision-making authority should AI receive in diagnosis, treatment and other parts of care? A system used to assist a clinician leaves final decisions with a human practitioner; a system placed “in control,” as Emanuel proposes testing, raises different questions about responsibility and oversight.
The discussion matters because AI tools are being considered across healthcare, while professional groups and experts disagree about their benefits and risks. Emanuel points to potential gains in reducing misdiagnoses and administrative burdens. Those possible benefits need to be weighed against concerns about safety, accountability and the effect of automation on clinical work. The webinar is an opportunity to hear the case for more experimentation and question its assumptions; it is not itself evidence that autonomous systems improve patient outcomes.
Products Worth Considering
Garmin Forerunner 570 GPS Running Smartwatch, 47mm, Aluminum, Black
Levoit Core 600S-P Smart Air Purifier for Large Rooms
Hyperice Hypervolt 3 Percussion Massage Gun with Heated Head and Premium Carry Case
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Policies and Pushback on AI
The MedPage Today report says some major medical organizations, including the American Medical Association, have adopted policies that position AI as an assistive rather than autonomous tool in healthcare. That approach contrasts with Emanuel’s call to experiment with models that put AI in control. The announcement does not provide the text or scope of the AMA policy, so it does not establish how the policy applies to particular tools or clinical settings.
The report also describes recent public disagreement over AI in medicine. After Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said AI could outperform physicians at diagnosing conditions and prescribing medications, physician groups pushed back, according to MedPage Today. Other experts have warned that AI could contribute to “meaningless” research or encroach on healthcare workers’ scope of practice. These objections and performance claims are reported positions, not a settled assessment of every medical AI system.
“Physicians “need to be willing to experiment with models that put AI in control.””
— Ezekiel J. Emanuel, in an opinion article for The Atlantic, as quoted by MedPage Today
Questions Beyond the Webinar
The announcement does not say whether Emanuel supports unrestricted use of autonomous AI, or describe the safeguards, clinical settings or limits he would require for experiments. It also does not identify particular AI products or provide evidence that such systems reduce diagnostic errors, improve treatment, or lower administrative workload. Those outcomes remain claims or questions for discussion in the material provided.
It is also unclear how the webinar’s discussion will address accountability when an AI system contributes to a clinical decision, how patients would be informed, or how performance would be evaluated. No policy change or clinical trial is announced. The event should be understood as a scheduled discussion, not a formal medical recommendation.
How to Join the Discussion
The webinar is scheduled for Thursday, October 29, at 12:30 p.m. ET. MedPage Today invites people to register and says questions can be submitted in advance by commenting on the event announcement. Those unable to watch live can register to receive the recording, according to the publisher.
The next immediate development will be the discussion itself. The announcement does not give details about post-event materials or further sessions, so any additional programming or policy outcomes have not been confirmed.
Key Questions
When is the webinar?
It is scheduled for Thursday, October 29, 2026, at 12:30 p.m. ET, according to MedPage Today.
Who will take part?
Ezekiel J. Emanuel, a bioethicist and oncologist, will discuss his perspective on AI in healthcare. Jeremy Faust, MedPage Today’s editor-in-chief, will moderate.
What is the discussion about?
The event will address Emanuel’s view that physicians should experiment with AI models that can take a more autonomous role, against a backdrop of policies and concerns favoring human oversight.
Can people submit questions or watch later?
MedPage Today says questions may be submitted in advance by commenting on the announcement. People who register but cannot attend live may receive a recording.
Source: medpagetoday.com
