AI skin cancer detection tools are getting better – but only for people with light skin

These apps and software programs could provide access to lifesaving screening – if researchers can find a way to remove the baked-in bias.

By: Mohamed Akrout, University of Tennessee, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: September 3, 2026

Words: 1,247

Last Updated: 1 month, 2 weeks ago

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By Mohamed Akrout, University of Tennessee

Imagine you’re getting out of the shower one morning and you notice a mole on your thigh that you’ve never seen before. It’s reddish brown, bumpy and surprisingly large. Is it a benign mole, or is it melanoma?

A slew of new artificial intelligence tools claim they can help you figure it out. Some are smartphone apps that anyone can download to scan their skin at home, while …

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