The Assassin and the Algorithm
Investigating the hidden link between murder suspect Luigi Mangione and the controversial use of AI algorithms in healthcare.
New York, December 2024. The CEO of America’s largest health insurance provider, United Healthcare, is shot and killed. A manhunt ensues, and 26-year-old Luigi Mangione is arrested. Controversially dubbed ‘the hot assassin’, he quickly becomes a viral sensation, gaining support from some protestors who see him as a folk hero.
But there’s another element to this story that’s been largely overlooked: the alleged use of AI by United Healthcare to deny insurance claims for vulnerable patients – and the revelation that Luigi himself studied AI at university. It’s just one example of the many ways that AI is transforming healthcare around the world.
As preparations for Luigi’s trial get under way, Hannah travels to the US to meet a woman who lost her husband and claims it happened after he was denied healthcare by an algorithm. She speaks to a United Healthcare insider, who reveals her concerns about their use of AI, and meets the young entrepreneur behind a company controversially using AI to select genetic traits in embryos.
More episodes
Previous
Next
You are at the last episode
Credits
| Role | Contributor |
|---|---|
| Presenter | Hannah Fry |
| Director | Harriet Bird |
| Production Manager | Kathryn Wellington |
| Series Producer | Vikki Miller |
| Production Company | Curious Films |
Discover how AI can shape our future
Fascinating real-world examples of how scientists are using AI with The Open University.
