The Importance of Explainable Artificial Intelligence for Informed Consent

Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) is important to ensure transparency and interpretability in AI-driven healthcare systems. This chapter explores the role of XAI in supporting informed consent, a fundamental ethical and legal requirement for patient care. Traditional AI models, often perceived as ‘black boxes,’ pose challenges to understanding and trusting AI-generated decisions. By making these processes transparent, XAI fosters patient trust, ensures ethical compliance, and enhances clinical decision-making. This chapter discusses the integration of XAI techniques, such as LIME and SHAP, their implications for informed consent, and provides recommendations for effectively implementing XAI in healthcare to uphold patient autonomy and informed decision-making.