Robert Pearl, M.D. October 24, 2025
Yesterday, I stood on stage at the historic Egyptian Theatre in Boise, Idaho, presenting a keynote on the future of generative AI in medicine. As I looked out across the audience, I couldn’t help but think back to another moment that took place just a few hundred miles west.
In 1998, at Oregon Health & Science University, I presented a different talk on the future of healthcare. At the end I wandered the halls and saw a sign on the wall that remains etched in my memory. In big, bold letters, the top line read: “Cost. Access. Quality.” And below it, in small font: “Pick any two.”
That was the best we could do at the time. We could...







