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A new survey from the American Medical Association’s (AMA) Center for Digital Health and AI found that physician use of AI has increased substantially, with 81% reporting use in practice now compared with 38% in 2023. The average number of use cases per physician also rose from 1.1 to 2.3. Physicians say they most commonly use AI for research summarization and clinical documentation. Confidence in AI is increasing too, with more than 75% of surveyed physicians reporting improved ability to care for their patients. However, 88% worry about skill erosion, and many cite risks to privacy and the patient-physician relationship. The good news is that 70% see AI as a tool to reduce burnout. However, about half oppose patients’ use of AI for interpreting their diagnostic results. AMA surveyed a total of 1,692 physicians across multiple specialties and practice settings.
Patients may not reveal AI use: What’s interesting is that physicians report that their patients don’t always talk about using consumer-facing AI tools for their health concerns. Twenty-nine percent of physicians say they have not had a single patient disclose AI use, yet 30% believe at least half of their patients are likely using AI.