World's First AI-Assisted Brain Surgery Performed in UK

A 48-year-old patient in Bedfordshire, UK, became the world's first person to undergo brain surgery with real-time AI assistance, and doctors successfully removed his brain tumor. Surgeons at University College London Hospitals said that without the surgery, the patient could have gone blind. During the operation, AI analyzed endoscopic images in real time, helping doctors avoid important blood vessels and nerves while safely removing the tumor.

The AI system, developed by researchers at University College London, was trained on hundreds of surgical videos and can track instruments in real time to mark safe areas for removal. Professor Hani Marcus, who took part in the surgery, said the system acts like 'an extra pair of expert eyes' but does not take over the operation—all decisions remain with the surgeon.

The patient's vision improved significantly after surgery, and his energy returned. The research team is planning larger clinical trials and hopes to develop a 'ChatGPT for surgeons.' The technology was funded by the UK's National Institute for Health and Care Research and Google.