The advent of AI has sparked a new hope, a new wave of zeal across the world. This is a clear call for the digital revolution, which is predicted to bring landmark changes in various dynamics that affect human life. Today, AI has affected the lives of people from Uttar Pradesh to Silicon Valley in America, from Madhepura to Melbourne in Australia, from Betul in Madhya Pradesh to Berlin, Germany.
Reading debates and questions often sparks curiosity: Will advanced AI be able to replace humans? Will it be able to grow a conscience and start deciding between right and wrong like humans?
Amid such debates, one question perennially irks me: Will AI bring a revolution in the health sector too? Will AI make treatment affordable for the poor? Will it help in curing diseases like cancer? Will AI act like a medical army in eliminating invisible diseases like diabetes and blood pressure? Can AI help increase human lifespan? Can an individual at 65–70 maintain the physical strength of a 25–30-year-old? Today, we hope to find answers to all such questions.
Will AI be able to double the days of human life?
Among the population of 8 billion around the world, you would seldom witness a person who does not wish to live as long as possible on this planet, to become eternal, or even immortal.
Life is an equivocal paradox that has often become the muse of countless thinkers. In September, during the occasion of a military parade in Beijing, the capital of China, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and North Korea’s Kim Jong-Un were present together. A hot-mic conversation between them went viral on social media.
While the world would have thought that these leaders would be discussing monumental plans, they were actually having a conversation about the human lifespan. They were not discussing any global crisis, diplomacy, or politics. Rather, they were talking about a commonality among us all: the human lifespan.
As per the hot-mic recording, Vladimir Putin said that if organ transplants are done repeatedly, humans can not only delay aging but even live up to 150 years. His statement led me to question: Is living 150 years a reality or just an illusion? Can AI actually increase human lifespan?
A study claims that with the help of AI, human life expectancy can be doubled, such that even at the age of 60 or 70, the body and brain could function like that of a young person. This eternal pursuit of gaining a long life and staying forever young can be aided by AI. For thousands of years, humans have searched for herbs and medicines that extend life. From Ayurveda to allopathy, from yoga to organ transplants, many experiments have been conducted to prolong human life. But a new study has revealed a non-invasive manner by which AI could potentially double the lifespan of human beings.
As per a report by Data Society, the human body is made up of cells, and an adult has about 30 to 40 trillion cells. The health of these cells determines our health and lifespan. The body ages as the DNA inside these cells gradually begins to deteriorate.
Scientists have discovered a method where the body is given a slight shock. This shock triggers cells to quickly repair themselves. A medicine based on this idea is currently under trial. With new advanced technology, scientists are attempting to make human DNA stronger and more resilient.
Since the behavior of genes changes constantly based on circumstances, it is impossible to monitor DNA activity continuously. But with new developments in AI, gene behavior will soon be trackable in real-time.
This new technology will help pinpoint the exact issue a patient suffers from and prescribe a streamlined course of preventive medicine and treatment. This highly precise and personalized treatment can be provided to every patient at any time.
Doctors believe that personalized treatment reduces side effects. Early detection of diseases and targeted treatment of damaged cells can keep the mind and body functioning like that of a young person for a longer time. With these new AI developments, people will not only live longer but also healthier and happier lives.
Doctors also believe that in the coming years, AI will help double life expectancy, meaning humans could live up to 150 years. India has always promoted the philosophy of good health and long life. Death is not the end, but a completion of the life cycle. Both Ayurveda and modern science see longevity as a pathway to increasing the average human lifespan.
Today, the average life expectancy is around 73 years. Scientists around the world are working continually not only to elongate human life but also to ensure that age-related diseases such as diabetes, blood pressure, heart attack, cancer, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s can be reduced.
Doctors believe that if premature deaths caused by these diseases can be prevented, the average lifespan will definitely increase. Medical experiments are also being carried out to slow down aging. Some experts predict that in the coming years, medical science and AI will become so advanced that doubling human life span will no longer be impossible.
Monitoring Gene Behavior
With AI, it will become easier to monitor human gene behavior and determine treatment for each individual specifically. If scientists succeed in their experiments and early studies, the day is not far when people could be seen playing football and cricket even at the age of 100.
Dr. Ian Pearson, a well-known futurist from Britain, estimates that within the next 25 years, people may not die at all. They may upload their brains into computers or robotic bodies and become “immortal.” Similarly, Raymond Kurzweil a famous American computer scientist, businessman, author, and futurist — claims that by 2030, humans will become immortal. Kurzweil says that with age-reversing nanobots, humans will be able to prevent the destruction of their cells, essentially making immortality possible.
So now the question arises: How do scientists and doctors view the idea of human immortality?
Nanobots for Active Recognition of Body Ailments
Today, if someone has heart disease, a pacemaker is surgically implanted to ensure the person can survive. Heart, liver, and kidney transplants are saving lives. Artificial organs are being implanted in place of damaged organs, increasing human lifespan.
To ensure that any ailment can be recognized in the early stages of its pathogenesis, the possibility of injecting the body with nanobots is being considered. Nanobots are tiny robots that can perform crucial tasks inside the human body and potentially detect and treat fatal illnesses.
As the body ages, cells degenerate and weaken, leading to several age-related diseases. Even with a balanced lifestyle, genetic defects can cause premature death. For hereditary ailments, gene therapy is being profoundly studied. This therapy replaces or manipulates defective genes and focuses on:
- Replacing defective genes
- Deactivating disease-causing genes
- Adding new genes to help the body fight diseases
Three Divisions of Human Life
Famous author Max Tegmark, in his book Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence, divides life into three stages:
- Bacterial Life
- Human Life
- Technological Life where humans become more machine-dependent, using machines as bodily extensions.
Currently, humans are transitioning into this third stage. For example, if the heart stops working, life is supported through devices like pacemakers. In the coming days, nanobots may be inserted into the human body to slow or temporarily stop the aging process. But living longer must go hand in hand with living healthier.
Another important question is: How can AI make treatment affordable for India’s massive population of 1.4 billion? India is now considered the cancer capital of the world, with cases rising rapidly.
How AI Can Help in Cancer Treatment
Recently, India has developed an AI framework capable of reading the biological programs hidden inside cancer tumors. This allows doctors to determine which patient’s cancer is more dangerous, even if both are at the same stage. It also helps identify which treatment will be most effective for a specific patient.
Cancer cases in India are growing at an annual rate of 2.5%. According to WHO, India recorded 14.1 lakh new cancer cases in 2022, with over 9 lakh deaths. Out of every 1 lakh people tested, nearly 100 were found to have cancer. To help in better recognition of the disease, studies are being conducted on how AI can help in timely detection.
Every year, 90,000 women die from breast cancer in India. Every 8 minutes, one woman dies from cervical cancer. Lung cancer claims 70,000 Indian lives annually. The human body consists of over 30 trillion cells. Normally, cells grow, function, and die in a disciplined pattern. When this discipline breaks, cancer develops. There are over 200 types of cancer, each attacking different organs.
AI has become extremely effective in detecting and treating cancer. One major issue with identification is that not all cancer patients have similar symptoms or causes, and immunity varies from person to person. To ensure early detection, Indian scientists have developed a breakthrough AI matrix framework that can decode the internal activity of cancer cells. It identifies the cause of tumor growth, metastasis, genetic instability, and therapy resistance. AI helps determine which biological processes are aiding the tumor in growing.
With such information, doctors can use targeted drugs and therapies to stall tumor growth in the early stages. Soon, advanced technology will be able to treat brain tumors in under an hour. Technologies like CyberKnife can perform precise surgical strikes on cancer cells. In the future, AI will play a massive role in personalized cancer treatment and help make treatment more affordable.
AI Use at AIIMS
Doctors state that AI makes analyzing mental and physical health data faster and easier, helping doctors provide more streamlined and tailored treatment. AI is also very effective in treating mental illnesses, as patients can share their problems with AI chatbots more freely, without feeling judged or biased.
Will AI Replace Doctors?
In India, close to 10 crore people suffer from diabetes, and nearly half of them learn about it late or never. Diabetes can damage the heart, liver, eyes, muscles, and blood circulation. A person with diabetes has a higher risk of heart attack and stroke. With AI, doctors will soon be able to recognize the symptoms of diabetes and treat it effectively.
Ayurveda and AI
India’s traditional system of medicine, Ayurveda, is also using AI. With AI, Ayurveda helps in the early detection of ailments and in prescribing preventive medicines and cures, allowing doctors to recognize the onset of diseases before symptoms become visible.
AI is a revolution that cannot be stopped. People must learn to use it responsibly. Doctors believe that even with AI, the need for human doctors will never disappear. AI can improve treatment, but human intelligence, experience, and empathy cannot be replaced. Experts say AI should be used as a tool, not a master.
The new era of medicine has begun. Gene therapy, nanotherapy, and AI models will soon be able to understand an individual’s specific genetic makeup. As these technologies continue to develop, the day may soon come when the average human lifespan crosses 100 years.
But with a longer life, will the quality of life improve too? A longer lifespan is meaningful only if humans remain healthy, active, and functional throughout. AI holds great potential, but it must be used responsibly, ethically, and with proper regulation. Only then will AI become a force that extends not just life – but healthy life.
