Microsoft’s new AI diagnoses complex medical cases better than doctors

July 01, 2025 09:34 AM

Microsoft ground sign at its headquarters in Redmond, Washington, USA

Microsoft has unveiled an AI diagnostic system that significantly outperforms human doctors in tackling complex medical cases, marking a major leap forward in healthcare technology.

Known as the Microsoft AI Diagnostic Orchestrator (MAI‑DxO), the system was tested on 304 real-world clinical scenarios sourced from the New England Journal of Medicine.

In these cases, MAI‑DxO achieved an accuracy rate of 85.5%, far surpassing the average 20% success rate of 21 experienced physicians from the UK and US.

These doctors were given the same case materials under the same conditions, making the comparison especially striking.

MAI‑DxO’s success lies in its unique “chain of debate” method. Instead of relying on a single model, the system coordinates multiple large language models (LLMs) that interact like a team of doctors, reviewing, challenging, and refining each other’s suggestions before settling on a final diagnosis.

This process not only enhances accuracy but also streamlines decision-making by avoiding unnecessary tests, guided by a built-in “budget consciousness” feature.

Microsoft has emphasised that the tool is not designed to replace clinicians, but to work alongside them.

“This isn’t about tools, it’s about a new operating model that is efficient, resilient, and optimised,” said the team behind the initiative.

Rather than burdening staff with more data, the system uses AI to filter noise, highlight key insights, and offer timely recommendations, allowing doctors to focus on patient care.

This latest innovation forms part of Microsoft’s wider strategy to transform healthcare through AI. Other tools in its growing portfolio include Dragon Copilot, an ambient assistant that listens and transcribes consultations, and RAD‑DINO, which supports radiology workflows.

At the recent HLTH Europe 2025 conference, Microsoft showcased how these tools can reduce administrative tasks and improve the quality of patient–clinician interactions.

Experts have responded positively but cautiously. While the early results are impressive, the AI has yet to be tested in live clinical environments. Regulatory approval and real-world validation are still needed before MAI‑DxO can be adopted in hospitals or clinics.

Tech industry layoffs soar with over 90,000 jobs lost in 2025Bottom of Form

Meta’s AI ambitions heat up with OpenAI talent hunt and $15bn scale AI investment