Are we sleepwalking into AI disruption in GI?

Dr. Sanket Chauhan, Founder & CEO of Surgical Automations, joined me and co-hosts Dr. Neil Parikh (CIO, Connecticut GI and Chair of Innovation, GI Alliance) and Matt Schwartz (Founder and CEO of Virgo) — and opened the conversation by showing us footage none of us were fully prepared for.Inside a pig's intestine, a 15mm robot identifies the lumen, reads the walls, and advances — autonomously. No hands on the scope. No physician guiding the tip. Just hardware and software in a closed loop, doing what takes most fellows years to develop feel for.This is ex vivo work. A pig model in a lab. But the engineering underneath it is already heading into large animal studies, with first-in-human trials projected by end of 2025 and a market entry target of 2029–2030."Think of it as the world's smallest Tesla — full self-driving, 15 millimeter diameter." — Sanket ChauhanWhat surprised us wasn't the engineering. It was the conversation that followed.08:25 - Building "the smallest Tesla in the world"Surgical Automations is building automated colonoscopy where the gastroenterologist is "more a supervisor," with a 15 millimeter diameter robotic platform.14:34 - Evidence-based medicine before full automationSanket pushes back on jumping to fully automated colonoscopy: “We are not in the business of technology. We are in the business of evidence based medicine.”26:28 - Non-invasive screening will flood GI with therapeutic demand/Non-invasive screening won't shrink GI — it will flood itNeil sees a surge ahead: "we're going to have a higher demand, I really believe for therapeutic colonoscopy which we currently don't have the bandwidth to support in most places across the country."27:54 - Objective quality metrics become possibleThe robot can generate “objective number of withdrawal time,” ADR and throughput metrics — measured the same way across Connecticut, Texas, California or 40 clinics.38:38 - "Our health system is craving fully automated endoscopy"Matt's payer-incentive read on the endgame: the system is structurally pulling toward "automated, fully automated, ideally no human labor, endoscopy just like we see with the full self-driving car."44:33 - Why automating the colon is harder than automating the brainPushing back on Elon's three-year surgery timeline, Sanket notes the colon moves — "imagine driving and setting a GPS, but your road changes as you are" — unlike fixed neurosurgical anatomy.51:29 - This isn't master-slave robotics — it's true automationSanket says this is "the first robot of its sign that is not a master slave relationship" — the AI identifies the anatomy and the robot drives itself53:09 - The Future GI WorkflowBy 2035, GI could become more data-driven, more automated and less physically demanding for physicians. The doctor’s role may expand beyond the scope room into deeper patient care and decision-making.This was one of the most candid conversations we've had on the show. Sanket doesn't perform startup optimism. He thinks in evidence, timelines, and edge cases, which made the moments where even he said "we'll get there" land differently.#ScopeForward #TheScopeForwardShow #Gastroenterology #GIInnovation #FutureOfGI #RoboticColonoscopy #AutomatedColonoscopy #AIinHealthcare #AIinGI #MedicalRobotics #Endoscopy #RoboticEndoscopy #HealthcareInnovation #ExponentialTechnologies #DigitalHealth #SurgicalAutomations #FutureOfHealthcare #Colonoscopy #MedTech #HealthcareAI

In the latest edition of The Scope Forward Show, I’m joined by:Dr. Aja McCutchen, gastroenterologist at United Digestive and Vice Chair of the American Gastroenterological Association Research Foundation. We begin with GI Mastermind, a leadership program for gastroenterologists thinking beyond day-to-day practice. Aja is a two-time participant. Since then, she has taken on national leadership roles and co-founded an AI-driven women’s digestive health company. She is a clear example of what happens when these ideas are put into action. The conversation expands into a broader question: where is gastroenterology today, and where is it headed? It surfaces things many gastroenterologists sense, but rarely articulate out loud. Note: The American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) is collaborating to offer GI Mastermind virtually for its members. More details will be announced next week.Watch this important conversation. Reflect on what it means for your career and practice. GI Mastermind offers a mirror and a map to do exactly that.#Gastroenterology #GIMastermind #HealthcareInnovation #FutureOfHealthcare #AIinHealthcare #DigitalHealth #PhysicianLeadership #MedicalLeadership #FutureOfMedicine #HealthcareTransformation #Gastroenterologist #HealthcareTrends #InnovationInMedicine #WhatsNextInHealthcare

In the latest edition of The Scope Forward Show, I’m joined by:Matt Schwartz, Founder & CEO of VirgoDr. Neil Parikh, Chief Innovation Officer, Connecticut GI and Chair of Innovation, GI AllianceAI is moving from theory to real infrastructure in healthcare. In this episode of the Scope Forward Show, we explored what happens when Big Tech, AI agents, robotics, genomics, and data platforms converge—and what it means for gastroenterology.The conversation ranged from Amazon’s new health AI agent to AI-assisted colonoscopy, humanoid robots, and even space-based data centers powering the next wave of AI.*Top Insights from the Interview:01:59 - Big Tech is becoming the new front door to healthcareCompanies like Amazon and Microsoft are building AI health agents that could become the first point of contact for millions of patients.06:33 - The real business opportunity may be healthcare dataAt scale, aggregated health data could become more financially valuable than patient visits themselves.11:09 - Virtual GI platforms may become acquisition targetsIf AI-driven healthcare platforms expand, companies delivering virtual GI care could become strategic assets for Big Tech.15:52 - AI may shift doctors from operators to supervisorsAs AI systems assist with diagnosis and procedures, physicians may increasingly oversee intelligent systems rather than perform every step themselves.17:47 - Training the next generation of gastroenterologists may need to changeIf fellows rely on AI too early, the field must rethink how fundamental skills are taught before AI assistance.22:00 - The real question is adoption speedWhether AI transforms GI depends less on the technology itself and more on how quickly the field adopts tools like computer-aided detection.24:15 - Humanoid robotics and automation are moving faster than expectedRobots capable of performing complex tasks could eventually intersect with AI-guided medical procedures.29:57 - AI tools could enable biomedical innovation outside traditional labsWith tools like AlphaFold and AI research assistants, small teams—even non-clinicians—may increasingly explore new therapies36:30 - The future GI stack may combine endoscopy, AI, and molecular dataThe most powerful clinical insights may emerge from integrating imaging, genomics, and microbiome data in real time.*Links use in this Interview:https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/retail/amazon-health-ai-agent-one-medicalhttps://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7437185848430858240/https://microsoft.ai/news/introducing-copilot-health/https://claude.com/solutions/healthcarehttps://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/12/magazine/ai-coding-programming-jobs-claude-chatgpt.htmlhttps://fortune.com/2026/03/15/australian-tech-entrepreneur-ai-cancer-vaccine-dog-rosie-unsw-mrna/https://www.forbes.com/sites/jessepines/2026/02/23/will-ai-de-skill-doctors-evidence-is-starting-to-trickle-in/https://chatgpt.com/share/69b8bfc1-567c-8006-b53c-ce58c5039f24https://www.forbes.com/sites/jessepines/2026/02/23/will-ai-de-skill-doctors-evidence-is-starting-to-trickle-in/https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2845756https://techcrunch.com/2026/02/02/elon-musk-spacex-acquires-xai-data-centers-space-merger/https://openai.com/index/our-agreement-with-the-department-of-war/https://deepmind.google/science/alphafold/https://www.google.com/search?q=alphafold+movie+documentary&oq=alphafold+movie+docume&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqBwgCECEYoAEyBggAEEUYOTIHCAEQIRigATIHCAIQIRigAdIBCDYyMzdqMGo3qAIAsAIA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8*#AIandGI #AutonomousEndoscopy #AgenticAI #HumanoidRobots #RoboticEndoscopy #AlphaFold #FoundationModels #AmazonHealthAI #CopilotHealth #HealthcareData #FutureOfGI #ScopeForward

In the latest edition of The Scope Forward Show, I’m joined by:Matt Schwartz, Founder & CEO of VirgoDr. Neil Parikh, Chief Innovation Officer, Connecticut GI and Chair of Innovation, GI AllianceThis isn’t an interview.It’s a raw, unscripted exploration of where AI in GI is actually headed—guided by the latest headlines and hard questions.Here’s what we unpack:Is automated robotic endoscopy really that different from self-driving cars?If humanoid robots can operate existing equipment, how close are we to autonomous surgery—3 years, 5 years, or more?Is AI truly “augmenting” physicians… or quietly preparing to replace entire workflows?What happens when AI agents start building, collaborating, and evolving on their own?Are we sleepwalking into massive economic disruption?We also dive into:The explosive growth of OpenEvidence and ChatGPT HealthFoundation models like SleepFM predicting disease years in advanceThe rise of AI social networks (yes—AI agents talking to each other)What exponential change in healthcare really meansThis isn’t about polyp detection anymore.It’s about:The future of medical educationThe physician–patient relationshipWorkforce transformationAnd whether GI is moving fast enoughIf you think AI in GI is limited to ambient listening and green bounding boxes…This conversation will challenge you.If you sense something much bigger unfolding…You shouldn’t miss this one.Our industry’s future may depend on how quickly we’re willing to think differently.— PraveenLinks of the articles:05:45 - https://journals.lww.com/ajg/abstract/9900/artificial_intelligence_for_gastroenterology.2091.aspx 15:07 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5LB1ILu5wY20:41 - https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250725260631/en/Revival-Healthcare-Capital-Announces-Strat…

26:25 - https://youtu.be/lQsvTrRTBRs 

43:45 - https://time.com/7378739/dex-hunter-torricke-tech-ai/?utm_source=beehiiv&utm_medium=email&utm_campa…

51:13 - https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/21/openevidence-chatgpt-for-doctors-doubles-valuation-to-12-billion.ht…

52:57 - https://www.technologyreview.com/2026/01/22/1131692/dr-google-had-its-issues-can-chatgpt-health-do-…53:07 - https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/ai-and-machine-learning/40m-people-use-chatgpt-answer-healthcare-q…

57:10 - https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/05/technology/ai-doctor-scams.html

59:14 - https://x.com/alifmunim/status/2019863775575482703?s=20

1:01:25 - https://x.com/james_y_zou/status/2008576712695836685/photo/11:03:13 - https://openclaw.ai/

1:04:46 - https://www.moltbook.com/ https://www.moltbook.com/post/c8f95ab9-3774-4fba-a937-9eb2954e5700 https://www.moltbook.com/post/ce3bb7b0-f535-43cf-b624-2df0575e95f4 https://www.moltbook.com/post/4590d932-0d9d-400a-8a84-44efd5f4d641 https://www.moltbook.com/post/2fdd8e55-1fde-43c9-b513-9483d0be8e38#AutonomousEndoscopy #HumanoidSurgery #AgenticAI #AGIinMedicine #ExponentialHealthcare #PhysicianReplacement #BeyondPolypDetection #FoundationModels #RoboticGI #HealthcareSingularity

Artificial intelligence is no longer a side conversation in gastroenterology.It is moving to the center of operations — and future competitive advantage.In this episode of The Scope Forward Show, I sit down with Dr. Michael Dragutsky (Chairman, One GI), Christa Newton (CEO, One GI), Aniket Behera (COO and Co-founder, 100ms), and Satish Malnaik (CEO, NextServices).We go inside One GI — not to debate AI — but to examine what happens when a scaled GI platform treats AI as a leadership decision.This is not about implementing AI in the endoscopy room.It’s not about bounding boxes in CADe or CADx.It is about the business model of gastroenterology.A multi-decade real decline in colonoscopy reimbursement.Rising labor costs.Staffing shortages.Payers deploying AI to protect their margins.AI will not disrupt GI because it is impressive.It will disrupt GI because it changes cost structure, leverage, and speed — and the rest of the healthcare ecosystem will operate at that new speed.Inside this conversation:06:22 - Why AI infrastructure is compounding faster than Moore’s Law08:45 - Where AI is reliable today — and where it is not19:34 - Why the first real battleground is administrative — not clinical26:37 - How One GI chose where to begin — and why sequencing matters57:00 - The shift from task automation to agentic systems executing full workflows1:27:26 - Whether AI will outperform physicians in defined domains — and what that means for training and governanceHere is the strategic reality:The GI organizations that become AI-enabled will expand margin, expand access, and strengthen relevance.The ones that hesitate will experience quiet compression.That gap will widen.As I’ve been saying since The Shift: the change is not ahead of us.It is already underway.#digitalhealth #gastroenterology #thescopeforwardshow #nextservices #gi #future #ai #theshift

In this episode of The Scope Forward Show, Praveen Suthrum speaks with Alex Noumidis, Co-founder and CEO of Nerva, a digital therapeutic platform for IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) and other disorders of gut-brain interaction. They discuss the origins of Nerva, the science of psychophysiology, digital health adoption in GI, and the challenges of bringing behavioral therapies into mainstream gastroenterology. The conversation dives deep into the power of gut-directed hypnotherapy, its clinical validation, the bottlenecks in scaling access to GI psychology, and what it takes to build a product that patients actually use. They've seen 300,000 patients and plan to expand to all GI conditions. Recorded between Australia and Mumbai, this global conversation also reflects on the evolving landscape of GI care.*🔹 Key Insights from the Interview03:08 - Personal Experience Sparked the IdeaAlex’s misdiagnosis with IBS and later discovery of celiac disease gave him a personal window into the patient journey. That experience, combined with limited access to GI psychologists, led to the creation of Nerva a digital solution to scale gut-directed hypnotherapy.04:16 Low Supply, High DemandThere are only 400 GI psychologists in the US, for tens of millions of patients. This scarcity makes traditional referral-based behavioral therapy unscalable, underscoring the need for digital solutions.05:31 - What is Psychophysiology?Psychophysiology is the study of how the mind influences the body—how thoughts and emotions can affect physical symptoms. Nerva is grounded in this field, using it to treat functional GI disorders digitally.06:56 - Evidence Behind Gut-Directed HypnotherapyNerva’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Simone Peters, conducted a landmark RCT at Monash University comparing gut-directed hypnotherapy to the low FODMAP diet. Both were equally effective—except hypnotherapy didn’t require dietary changes. This gave clinical backing to Nerva’s model.11:13 - Nerva’s Impact and PositionWhile other digital competitors (like Mahana and Bold Health) have shut down, Nerva remains the only at-scale digital brain-gut therapy platform for IBS. They've already helped over 300,000 patients, mostly in the US, and are now expanding into other functional GI conditions.18:38 - Adherence = EfficacyAlex highlights a critical learning: “Efficacy is partially adherence.” Many digital products fail because patients stop using them. Nerva focused deeply on engagement and user experience, ensuring that people stick with the program, thus improving outcomes.25:06 - The Biopsychosocial Model in IBSGI is shifting from a diagnosis of exclusion to a diagnosis of inclusion, using Rome Criteria. Treatments now span:* Diet (FODMAP)* Medications (Linzess, etc.)* Behavioral (CBT, hypnotherapy)Nerva fits squarely in this new behavioral frontier.40:14 - Barriers to Clinical AdoptionDespite strong evidence, GI providers are slow to adopt brain-gut therapies. Reasons include:* Lack of nearby GI psychologists* Long waitlists* Clinical guidelines placing behavioral therapies late in the treatment pathway.* Skepticism or unfamiliarity among providers47:11 - Future of GI Behavioral HealthThere’s a growing push—backed by AGA’s 2025 quality indicators—to recognize and reimburse digital brain-gut therapies. But for this to happen at scale, digital platforms must prove clinical efficacy, economic value, and user adherence. Nerva’s model appears well positioned.*#digitalhealth #gastroenterology #thescopeforwardshow #nextservices #gi #future #ai #theshift #gut-brain axis

In this episode of The Scope Forward Show, Praveen Suthrum speaks with Cheryl Sew Hoy, Founder & CEO of Tiny Health, a microbiome testing company that’s redefining preventive care from pregnancy through infancy. Cheryl shares why the first 1,000 days are critical for lifelong gut health, how restoring beneficial microbes matters more than chasing pathogens, and why over 80,000 families are already turning to Tiny Health for answers. Functional medicine has embraced the microbiome faster than GI — but Cheryl makes the case that gastroenterologists are uniquely positioned to lead this revolution. The question is: will the GI community step up before it’s too late?*02:17 - A Founder’s Wake-Up CallCheryl’s journey began with her own C-section baby — realizing how birth mode, antibiotics, and maternal microbiomes shape a child’s lifelong health. This personal story launched Tiny Health.07:17 - 80,000 Families — Real-World ResultsTiny Health has already served tens of thousands. Parents are seeing their kids’ eczema, allergies, and gut issues improve after targeted interventions. The results are hard to ignore.10:09 - Traditional Tests Are Missing the PointStandard hospital stool panels chase pathogens. Tiny Health looks deeper — into beneficial functions like butyrate, GABA, and fiber digestion that actually sustain long-term gut health.30:29 - A Paradigm Shift: From Killing to RestoringMost of medicine (and even functional care) is built on killing pathogens. Cheryl flips the script: start by replenishing beneficial microbes, then address the bad actors if needed.32:01 - Functional Medicine Is Listening. GI Isn’t (Yet).Most adopters today are integrative and functional practitioners. GIs are still skeptical — but Cheryl’s message is clear: when families walk in with data that explains what’s happening, GI needs to lead the conversation, not dismiss it.34:23 - Science Is Catching Up, FastMetagenomic sequencing, functional markers, and AI-driven insights are transforming microbiome testing from “hype” to clinical reality. Evidence is mounting, especially in pediatrics.37:10 - Precision Medicine Is HereForget the daily “probiotic for everyone.” The future is testing first, then tailoring — the exact probiotic, prebiotic, or dietary shift each patient needs. That’s precision GI care.40:29 - The Longevity ConnectionMayo Clinic has already partnered with Tiny Health. Gut tests are moving into mainstream wellness and longevity clinics. Where will GI stand when patients start asking for them by name?44:27 - Infant Gut = Lifelong BlueprintThe first 1,000 days are destiny. Vaginal birth, breastfeeding, and parental microbiomes set the stage for allergies, asthma, and even chronic disease risk later in life.46:44 - A Call to Action for GastroenterologistsMicrobiome testing is no longer fringe. It’s an opportunity for GI to expand its scope, reclaim leadership in gut health, and guide patients with science-backed, personalized care.*#digitalhealth #gastroenterology #thescopeforwardshow #nextservices #gi #future #ai #theshift #microbiome

What happens when you combine a decade of science, a powerful entrepreneurial story, and two exponential waves—AI and digital biology?You get Geneoscopy.On the latest episode of The Scope Forward Show, I caught up with Dr. Erica Barnell—Co-founder and Chief Science Officer of Geneoscopy. If you don’t know Erica yet, you should. She and her team just raised $112 million in a tough VC environment. Their lead assay, ColoSense, is now the first FDA-approved, RNA-based, non-invasive diagnostic test for colorectal cancer and advanced adenomas.But this conversation went far beyond funding and FDA milestones.We talked about:How AI has replaced costly bioinformatics layers and transformed their R&DHow patients are being guided through diagnostics via smart automation (text, email, even Uber Health)What’s next in IBD precision diagnostics and biomarker innovationWhy AI is not “artificial” at all—and how to use it without fearWhy GI, like OB/GYN, is primed for disruptionThis wasn’t just a company update—it was a glimpse into the future of our entire field.We’re in a convergence era. Biology is becoming programmable. Intelligence is being digitized. And GI—if we lean in—has a front-row seat to reinvent itself.

In this compelling episode of The Scope Forward Show, Praveen Suthrum interviews Jeff Glueck, a tech entrepreneur best known for leading Foursquare and Travelocity, who has now turned his focus to healthcare. Jeff shares his deeply personal story that inspired the founding of Salvo Health — a virtual platform redefining chronic GI care by integrating traditional medicine with lifestyle and environmental health practices.Jeff discusses the fragmentation in GI follow-on care, the unrealistic expectations placed on patients post-diagnosis, and how Salvo aims to close these gaps. The conversation also dives into the role of private equity, the pressures on community GIs, and why collaboration — not bypassing — is key to healthcare innovation.🔹 Top Insights 01:24 - Childhood Seeds Can Shape the Future of HealthcareRaised by a conventionally trained physician father and a lifestyle medicine-inclined mother, Jeff Glueck saw both worlds early. Salvo Health is a direct synthesis of these influences—clinical rigor meets lifestyle-based prevention.03:38 - A Personal Tragedy Exposed the Learning Deficit in HealthcareAfter losing their first child to a preventable condition, Jeff asked: “Where is the data engine that learns from this?” The silence from the OB-GYN revealed a brutal truth: healthcare isn’t learning fast enough. That moment lit the fuse for Salvo.06:37 - Environmental Health Still Sits Outside the Clinical MainstreamWhen his newborn twins reacted to hospital-recommended products, Jeff and his wife discovered how everyday exposures are ignored in standard care. This gap led to MadeSafe.org—and a belief that chronic care must account for what surrounds the patient.09:57 - Gut Health Is the Access Point to Whole-Body CareSalvo chose GI not because it was trendy, but because the gut influences everything—metabolism, immunity, brain health. Starting with IBS, MASLD, and IBD, Salvo tackles the neglected zones of follow-on care.10:56 - Endoscopy-Centric Care Is Creating a Follow-Up VoidCommunity GIs are under relentless pressure to stay in the endoscopy suite. When 99% of scopes show no cancer, what happens to the chronically ill patients? Often, nothing. That’s the void Salvo stepped into.21:40 - Behavior Change Isn’t a Handout—It’s a ProcessTelling a MASLD patient to “lose 10% weight and come back in 6 months” doesn’t work. Without sustained support—coaching, digital monitoring, personalized food and psychology—those patients worsen. Salvo designs for that missing middle.27:55 - Doctor in the Cloud" Works Only If It Respects the GroundA digital center of excellence means little if it doesn’t integrate with real-world practices. Salvo’s model isn’t virtual vs. physical—it’s human + tech, layered thoughtfully.46:55 - Chronic GI Care Must Evolve Into Precision, Intelligence-Based SupportThe long arc of care needs to be reimagined—from episodic and procedural to continuous and insight-driven. Salvo Health is building this new engine—one that learns daily from patients and adapts in real time.#digitalhealth #gastroenterology #thescopeforwardshow #nextservices #gi #future #ai #theshift

Allied Digestive Health didn’t just grow—it transformed. COO Sap Sinha takes us behind the scenes of one of GI’s most effective private equity-backed MSOs. Learn how a digital-first mindset, thoughtful change management, and practical AI adoption are setting the new standard for gastroenterology.Top Insights from interview: *06:05 - Middleware Matters: Build for Integration, Not IsolationInstead of relying on legacy platforms, ADH redesigned its tech foundation with open, modular systems that allow interoperability across workflows—from scheduling to billing to care coordination.07:30 - Don't Rehire—Rethink the ModelPost-COVID staffing challenges created the opportunity to fundamentally reimagine operations. Rather than rebuild the old structure, ADH merged human roles with automation to create a leaner, smarter model.14:37 - Cash First, Innovation FollowsADH began its transformation with revenue cycle automation—an area that directly impacts cash flow. This strategy built internal confidence and funded broader innovation.19:12 - The EMR Interface Is Becoming InvisibleDocumentation is shifting away from keyboards and templates toward real-time, intelligent capture. The clinician's experience is being reimagined—less typing, more presence.26:09 - Incentive Structures Must Evolve for Innovation to ScaleADH’s hybrid compensation model—balancing individual productivity with group success—enabled collective investment in future-ready initiatives.29:02 - AI Agents Are Already Enhancing Clinical OperationsADH uses AI-driven systems that proactively identify gaps in care and initiate outreach—ensuring patients return for needed visits, without burdening staff.33:22 - Change Management Is the Real Tech StackEvery operational upgrade included human considerations: trust-building, role evolution, and reskilling. Technology was introduced with empathy, not disruption.36:50 - The Org Chart of the Future Is Human-AI HybridADH is already moving toward a model where humans work side-by-side with digital assistants—handling everything from appointment scheduling to financial workflows. This shift enables smaller teams to do more, with higher precision.44:34 - GI Leaders Must See Beyond the Exam RoomSap urges GIs to expand their lens: understand the business, engage with systems thinking, and experiment boldly. The world is changing faster than most realize—and GI must not be left behind. *#digitalhealth #gastroenterology #thescopeforwardshow #nextservices #gi #future #ai #theshift