Navigating the Ocean of Big Data in Neurocritical Care

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) will inevitably infiltrate and increasingly influence clinical practice and research in neurocritical care. The question is no longer whether or even when this will happen but how we respond to the opportunities and threats of exploring this terra incognita: some clinicians may watch anxiously from the shore as the AI armada sets sail for uncharted territory, whereas those who are more adventurous have elected to embark as "captains of big data" and determine the trajectory and destination of this scientific journey. Navigating through this still murky ocean of big data requires knowledge of evolving statistical and data analytic techniques that look to many like black magic. In reality, there is no mystical conjuring involved: machine learning techniques derive rules and reveal patterns in data by leveraging statistical analyses at an enormous scale and by combining variables in nonlinear and multidimensional ways. Just as with other statistical approaches, they cannot predict the future or make definitive causal inferences. It is imperative that physicians possess at least a modest understanding of the possibilities and limitations of AI to thrive in this technological future. This special issue of Neurocritical Care aims to guide the reader through this fascinating frontier of research. We invited several experts to review, debate, and provide perspectives on key aspects of these techniques and their potential to impact our field. We also include several original research submissions that harness big data and AI approaches to advance our understanding of common and vexing challenges in neurocritical care.