Daily News

Toward fair AI-driven medical text generation

A recent study assesses bias in artificial intelligence (AI)-generated medical language to find differences in age, sex, and ethnicity. An optimization technique is proposed to improve fairness without sacrificing performance.

Access through your institution

Buy or subscribe

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Access through your institution

/* style specs start */

/* style specs end */

Buy this article

  • Purchase on SpringerLink
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

/* style specs start */
style {
display: none !important;
}
.LiveAreaSection * {
align-content: stretch;
align-items: stretch;
align-self: auto;
animation-delay: 0s;
animation-direction: normal;
animation-duration: 0s;
animation-fill-mode: none;
animation-iteration-count: 1;
animation-name: none;
animation-play-state: running;
animation-timing-function: ease;
azimuth: center;
backface-visibility: visible;
background-attachment: scroll;
background-blend-mode: normal;
background-clip: borderBox;
background-color: transparent;
background-image: none;
background-origin: paddingBox;
background-position: 0 0;
background-repeat: repeat;
background-size: auto auto;
block-size: auto;
border-block-end-color: currentcolor;
border-block-end-style: none;
border-block-end-width: medium;
border-block-start-color: currentcolor;
border-block-start-style: none;
border-block-start-width: medium;
border-bottom-color: currentcolor;
border-bottom-left-radius: 0;
border-bottom-right-radius: 0;
border-bottom-style: none;
border-bottom-width: medium;
border-collapse: separate;
border-image-outset: 0s;
border-image-repeat: stretch;
border-image-slice: 100%;
border-image-source: none;
border-image-width: 1;
border-inline-end-color: currentcolor;
border-inline-end-style: none;
border-inline-end-width: medium;
border-inline-start-color: currentcolor;
border-inline-start-style: none;
border-inline-start-width: medium;
border-left-color: currentcolor;
border-left-style: none;
border-left-width: medium;
border-right-color: currentcolor;
border-right-style: none;
border-right-width: medium;
border-spacing: 0;
border-top-color: currentcolor;
border-top-left-radius: 0;
border-top-right-radius: 0;
border-top-style: none;
border-top-width: medium;
bottom: auto;
box-decoration-break: slice;
box-shadow: none;
box-sizing: border-box;
break-after: auto;
break-before: auto;
break-inside: auto;
caption-side: top;
caret-color: auto;
clear: none;
clip: auto;
clip-path: none;
color: initial;
column-count: auto;
column-fill: balance;
column-gap: normal;
column-rule-color: currentcolor;
column-rule-style: none;
column-rule-width: medium;
column-span: none;
column-width: auto;
content: normal;
counter-increment: none;
counter-reset: none;
cursor: auto;
display: inline;
empty-cells: show;
filter: none;
flex-basis: auto;
flex-direction: row;
flex-grow: 0;
flex-shrink: 1;
flex-wrap: nowrap;
float: none;
font-family: initial;
font-feature-settings: normal;
font-kerning: auto;
font-language-override: normal;
font-size: medium;
font-size-adjust: none;
font-stretch: normal;
font-style: normal;
font-synthesis: weight style;
font-variant: normal;
font-variant-alternates: normal;
font-variant-caps: normal;
font-variant-east-asian: normal;
font-variant-ligatures: normal;
font-variant-numeric: normal;
font-variant-position: normal;
font-weight: 400;
grid-auto-columns: auto;
grid-auto-flow: row;
grid-auto-rows: auto;
grid-column-end: auto;
grid-column-gap: 0;
grid-column-start: auto;
grid-row-end: auto;
grid-row-gap: 0;
grid-row-start: auto;
grid-template-areas: none;
grid-template-columns: none;
grid-template-rows: none;
height: auto;
hyphens: manual;
image-orientation: 0deg;
image-rendering: auto;
image-resolution: 1dppx;
ime-mode: auto;
inline-size: auto;
isolation: auto;
justify-content: flexStart;
left: auto;
letter-spacing: normal;
line-break: auto;
line-height: normal;
list-style-image: none;
list-style-position: outside;
list-style-type: disc;
margin-block-end: 0;
margin-block-start: 0;
margin-bottom: 0;
margin-inline-end: 0;
margin-inline-start: 0;
margin-left: 0;
margin-right: 0;
margin-top: 0;
mask-clip: borderBox;
mask-composite: add;
mask-image: none;
mask-mode: matchSource;
mask-origin: borderBox;
mask-position: 0 0;
mask-repeat: repeat;
mask-size: auto;
mask-type: luminance;
max-height: none;
max-width: none;
min-block-size: 0;
min-height: 0;
min-inline-size: 0;
min-width: 0;
mix-blend-mode: normal;
object-fit: fill;
object-position: 50% 50%;
offset-block-end: auto;
offset-block-start: auto;
offset-inline-end: auto;
offset-inline-start: auto;
opacity: 1;
order: 0;
orphans: 2;
outline-color: initial;
outline-offset: 0;
outline-style: none;
outline-width: medium;
overflow: visible;
overflow-wrap: normal;
overflow-x: visible;
overflow-y: visible;
padding-block-end: 0;
padding-block-start: 0;
padding-bottom: 0;
padding-inline-end: 0;
padding-inline-start: 0;
padding-left: 0;
padding-right: 0;
padding-top: 0;
page-break-after: auto;
page-break-before: auto;
page-break-inside: auto;
perspective: none;
perspective-origin: 50% 50%;
pointer-events: auto;
position: static;
quotes: initial;
resize: none;
right: auto;
ruby-align: spaceAround;
ruby-merge: separate;
ruby-position: over;
scroll-behavior: auto;
scroll-snap-coordinate: none;
scroll-snap-destination: 0 0;
scroll-snap-points-x: none;
scroll-snap-points-y: none;
scroll-snap-type: none;
shape-image-threshold: 0;
shape-margin: 0;
shape-outside: none;
tab-size: 8;
table-layout: auto;
text-align: initial;
text-align-last: auto;
text-combine-upright: none;
text-decoration-color: currentcolor;
text-decoration-line: none;
text-decoration-style: solid;
text-emphasis-color: currentcolor;
text-emphasis-position: over right;
text-emphasis-style: none;
text-indent: 0;
text-justify: auto;
text-orientation: mixed;
text-overflow: clip;
text-rendering: auto;
text-shadow: none;
text-transform: none;
text-underline-position: auto;
top: auto;
touch-action: auto;
transform: none;
transform-box: borderBox;
transform-origin: 50% 50%0;
transform-style: flat;
transition-delay: 0s;
transition-duration: 0s;
transition-property: all;
transition-timing-function: ease;
vertical-align: baseline;
visibility: visible;
white-space: normal;
widows: 2;
width: auto;
will-change: auto;
word-break: normal;
word-spacing: normal;
word-wrap: normal;
writing-mode: horizontalTb;
z-index: auto;
-webkit-appearance: none;
-moz-appearance: none;
-ms-appearance: none;
appearance: none;
margin: 0;
}
.LiveAreaSection {
width: 100%;
}
.LiveAreaSection .login-option-buybox {
display: block;
width: 100%;
font-size: 17px;
line-height: 30px;
color: #222;
padding-top: 30px;
font-family: Harding, Palatino, serif;
}
.LiveAreaSection .additional-access-options {
display: block;
font-weight: 700;
font-size: 17px;
line-height: 30px;
color: #222;
font-family: Harding, Palatino, serif;
}
.LiveAreaSection .additional-login > li:not(:first-child)::before {
transform: translateY(-50%);
content: “”;
height: 1rem;
position: absolute;
top: 50%;
left: 0;
border-left: 2px solid #999;
}
.LiveAreaSection .additional-login > li:not(:first-child) {
padding-left: 10px;
}
.LiveAreaSection .additional-login > li {
display: inline-block;
position: relative;
vertical-align: middle;
padding-right: 10px;
}
.BuyBoxSection {
display: flex;
flex-wrap: wrap;
flex: 1;
flex-direction: row-reverse;
margin: -30px -15px 0;
}
.BuyBoxSection .box-inner {
width: 100%;
height: 100%;
padding: 30px 5px;
display: flex;
flex-direction: column;
justify-content: space-between;
}
.BuyBoxSection p {
margin: 0;
}
.BuyBoxSection .readcube-buybox {
background-color: #f3f3f3;
flex-shrink: 1;
flex-grow: 1;
flex-basis: 255px;
background-clip: content-box;
padding: 0 15px;
margin-top: 30px;
}
.BuyBoxSection .subscribe-buybox {
background-color: #f3f3f3;
flex-shrink: 1;
flex-grow: 4;
flex-basis: 300px;
background-clip: content-box;
padding: 0 15px;
margin-top: 30px;
}
.BuyBoxSection .subscribe-buybox-nature-plus {
background-color: #f3f3f3;
flex-shrink: 1;
flex-grow: 4;
flex-basis: 100%;
background-clip: content-box;
padding: 0 15px;
margin-top: 30px;
}
.BuyBoxSection .title-readcube,
.BuyBoxSection .title-buybox {
display: block;
margin: 0;
margin-right: 10%;
margin-left: 10%;
font-size: 24px;
line-height: 32px;
color: #222;
text-align: center;
font-family: Harding, Palatino, serif;
}
.BuyBoxSection .title-asia-buybox {
display: block;
margin: 0;
margin-right: 5%;
margin-left: 5%;
font-size: 24px;
line-height: 32px;
color: #222;
text-align: center;
font-family: Harding, Palatino, serif;
}
.BuyBoxSection .asia-link,
.Link-328123652,
.Link-2926870917,
.Link-2291679238,
.Link-595459207 {
color: #069;
cursor: pointer;
text-decoration: none;
font-size: 1.05em;
font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, “Segoe UI”, Roboto,
Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, “Helvetica Neue”, sans-serif;
line-height: 1.05em6;
}
.BuyBoxSection .access-readcube {
display: block;
margin: 0;
margin-right: 10%;
margin-left: 10%;
font-size: 14px;
color: #222;
padding-top: 10px;
text-align: center;
font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, “Segoe UI”, Roboto,
Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, “Helvetica Neue”, sans-serif;
line-height: 20px;
}
.BuyBoxSection ul {
margin: 0;
}
.BuyBoxSection .link-usp {
display: list-item;
margin: 0;
margin-left: 20px;
padding-top: 6px;
list-style-position: inside;
}
.BuyBoxSection .link-usp span {
font-size: 14px;
color: #222;
font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, “Segoe UI”, Roboto,
Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, “Helvetica Neue”, sans-serif;
line-height: 20px;
}
.BuyBoxSection .access-asia-buybox {
display: block;
margin: 0;
margin-right: 5%;
margin-left: 5%;
font-size: 14px;
color: #222;
padding-top: 10px;
text-align: center;
font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, “Segoe UI”, Roboto,
Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, “Helvetica Neue”, sans-serif;
line-height: 20px;
}
.BuyBoxSection .access-buybox {
display: block;
margin: 0;
margin-right: 10%;
margin-left: 10%;
font-size: 14px;
color: #222;
opacity: 0.8px;
padding-top: 10px;
text-align: center;
font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, “Segoe UI”, Roboto,
Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, “Helvetica Neue”, sans-serif;
line-height: 20px;
}
.BuyBoxSection .price-buybox {
display: block;
font-size: 30px;
color: #222;
font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, “Segoe UI”, Roboto,
Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, “Helvetica Neue”, sans-serif;
padding-top: 30px;
text-align: center;
}
.BuyBoxSection .price-buybox-to {
display: block;
font-size: 30px;
color: #222;
font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, “Segoe UI”, Roboto,
Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, “Helvetica Neue”, sans-serif;
text-align: center;
}
.BuyBoxSection .price-info-text {
font-size: 16px;
padding-right: 10px;
color: #222;
font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, “Segoe UI”, Roboto,
Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, “Helvetica Neue”, sans-serif;
}
.BuyBoxSection .price-value {
font-size: 30px;
font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, “Segoe UI”, Roboto,
Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, “Helvetica Neue”, sans-serif;
}
.BuyBoxSection .price-per-period {
font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, “Segoe UI”, Roboto,
Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, “Helvetica Neue”, sans-serif;
}
.BuyBoxSection .price-from {
font-size: 14px;
padding-right: 10px;
color: #222;
font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, “Segoe UI”, Roboto,
Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, “Helvetica Neue”, sans-serif;
line-height: 20px;
}
.BuyBoxSection .issue-buybox {
display: block;
font-size: 13px;
text-align: center;
color: #222;
font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, “Segoe UI”, Roboto,
Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, “Helvetica Neue”, sans-serif;
line-height: 19px;
}
.BuyBoxSection .no-price-buybox {
display: block;
font-size: 13px;
line-height: 18px;
text-align: center;
padding-right: 10%;
padding-left: 10%;
padding-bottom: 20px;
padding-top: 30px;
color: #222;
font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, “Segoe UI”, Roboto,
Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, “Helvetica Neue”, sans-serif;
}
.BuyBoxSection .vat-buybox {
display: block;
margin-top: 5px;
margin-right: 20%;
margin-left: 20%;
font-size: 11px;
color: #222;
padding-top: 10px;
padding-bottom: 15px;
text-align: center;
font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, “Segoe UI”, Roboto,
Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, “Helvetica Neue”, sans-serif;
line-height: 17px;
}
.BuyBoxSection .tax-buybox {
display: block;
width: 100%;
color: #222;
padding: 20px 16px;
text-align: center;
font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, “Segoe UI”, Roboto,
Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, “Helvetica Neue”, sans-serif;
line-height: NaNpx;
}
.BuyBoxSection .button-container {
display: flex;
padding-right: 20px;
padding-left: 20px;
justify-content: center;
}
.BuyBoxSection .button-container > * {
flex: 1px;
}
.BuyBoxSection .button-container > a:hover,
.Button-505204839:hover,
.Button-1078489254:hover,
.Button-2737859108:hover {
text-decoration: none;
}
.BuyBoxSection .btn-secondary {
background: #fff;
}
.BuyBoxSection .button-asia {
background: #069;
border: 1px solid #069;
border-radius: 0;
cursor: pointer;
display: block;
padding: 9px;
outline: 0;
text-align: center;
text-decoration: none;
min-width: 80px;
margin-top: 75px;
}
.BuyBoxSection .button-label-asia,
.ButtonLabel-3869432492,
.ButtonLabel-3296148077,
.ButtonLabel-1636778223 {
display: block;
color: #fff;
font-size: 17px;
line-height: 20px;
font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, “Segoe UI”, Roboto,
Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, “Helvetica Neue”, sans-serif;
text-align: center;
text-decoration: none;
cursor: pointer;
}
.Button-505204839,
.Button-1078489254,
.Button-2737859108 {
background: #069;
border: 1px solid #069;
border-radius: 0;
cursor: pointer;
display: block;
padding: 9px;
outline: 0;
text-align: center;
text-decoration: none;
min-width: 80px;
max-width: 320px;
margin-top: 20px;
}
.Button-505204839 .btn-secondary-label,
.Button-1078489254 .btn-secondary-label,
.Button-2737859108 .btn-secondary-label {
color: #069;
}
.uList-2102244549 {
list-style: none;
padding: 0;
margin: 0;
}
/* style specs end */

Fig. 1: Illustration of the selective optimization algorithm to mitigate unfairness in radiology report generation.

References

  1. Obermeyer, Z., Powers, B., Vogeli, C. & Mullainathan, S. Science 366, 447–453 (2019).

    Article 

    Google Scholar 

  2. Lin, M. et al. Nat. Commun. 14, 6261 (2023).

    Article 

    Google Scholar 

  3. Larrazabal, A. J., Nieto, N., Peterson, V., Milone, D. H. & Ferrante, E. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 117, 12592–12594 (2020).

    Article 

    Google Scholar 

  4. Tanida, T., Müller, P., Kaissis, G. & Rueckert, D. in Proceedings of the IEEE/CVF Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition, 7433–7442 (IEEE, 2023).

  5. Van Veen D. et al. in The 22nd Workshop on Biomedical Natural Language Processing and BioNLP Shared Tasks, 449–460 (Association for Computational Linguistics, 2023).

  6. Chen, X. et al. Nat. Comput. Sci. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43588-025-00789-7 (2025).

    Article 

    Google Scholar 

  7. Ktena, I. et al. Nat. Med. 30, 1166–1173 (2024).

    Article 

    Google Scholar 

  8. Liu, L. et al. Preprint at https://arxiv.org/abs/2406.03712 (2024).

  9. Wu, P. et al. Preprint at https://arxiv.org/abs/2410.01089 (2024).

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

    Yumeng Zhang & Jiangning Song

  2. Monash AI Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

    Jiangning Song

Authors

  1. Yumeng Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jiangning Song
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to
Jiangning Song.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interests.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Zhang, Y., Song, J. Toward fair AI-driven medical text generation.
Nat Comput Sci (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43588-025-00807-8

Download citation

  • Published: 14 May 2025

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s43588-025-00807-8

news

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *