Advancing Personalized Medicine Through AI Technologies

Personalized medicine (PM) has increasingly become a central theme in contemporary healthcare and biomedical research, promising more effective and efficient care through tailored interventions. Although widely discussed, the term remains loosely defined, encompassing both holistic, patient-centered approaches and targeted treatments for stratified subgroups, such as those informed by pharmacogenetics. Despite its modern framing, personalization in medicine has deep historical roots. Since Hippocratic times, physicians have sought to adapt treatments to individual patients, even as the tools and scientific understanding behind these efforts have evolved dramatically. Over centuries, medical practice has progressed from metaphysical explanations of disease to physical, cellular, and molecular models, ultimately leading to advanced diagnostics and precision therapies driven by genetics and data science. The underlying goal—to optimize treatment for each patient—has remained constant, even as methods have transitioned from the ancient theory of four humors to the molecular logic of DNA. This review traces the historical evolution of personalized medicine, illustrating how technological and scientific advancements have continuously refined our ability to diagnose, classify, and treat disease at increasingly precise levels.