Not because of AI
Trials and deployments where AI was measured against something and did not help, or made things worse. They sit here under the same grades as the wins. A registry that only records successes is advertising. A clean null tells you more about what AI does than most press releases.
An AI stethoscope rolled out to 205 NHS GP practices did not significantly increase heart-failure detection at 12 months.
Caveat: The tool worked when used; the deployment didn't get it used — a workflow failure, not a model failure.
Null on intention-to-treat
Displaying AI deterioration-risk scores on a cardiology ward did not improve patient outcomes across 10,422 admissions.
Caveat: Passive display with no mandated response, run during COVID-era staffing; sicker patients were preferentially moved into AI-monitored beds.
No change in primary outcome
AI-personalized computer-assisted learning did no better than non-personalized software for 8,647 rural Chinese primary students.
Caveat: One AI product, one province; the active-control design is exactly what the Sierra Leone trial lacked.
Null vs active control
| Entry | Impact | Attribution | Window | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | An AI stethoscope rolled out to 205 NHS GP practices did not significantly increase heart-failure detection at 12 months. | Null on intention-to-treat | A | isolated | pre-window | 2023 – 2024 | Jan 29, 2026 | ~12 mo |
| 2 | Displaying AI deterioration-risk scores on a cardiology ward did not improve patient outcomes across 10,422 admissions. | No change in primary outcome | A | isolated | pre-window | Jan 4, 2021 – Oct 4, 2022 | Feb 5, 2026 | 3.3 yrs |
| 3 | AI-personalized computer-assisted learning did no better than non-personalized software for 8,647 rural Chinese primary students. | Null vs active control | A | isolated | unverified | Dates not yet verified | Jul 2026 | — |
Nothing matches.