The unstoppable march of AI only seems to be gaining momentum, with an American Medical Association survey noting greater enthusiasm – and less apprehension – among physicians.
The AMA’s Augmented Intelligence Research survey of 1,183 physicians found that those whose enthusiasm outweighs their concerns with health AI rose to 35% in 2024, up from 30% in 2023.
- The lion’s share of doctors recognize AI’s benefits, with 68% reporting at least some advantage in patient care (up from 63% in 2023).
- In both years, about 40% of doctors were equally excited and concerned about health AI, with almost no change between surveys.
The positive sentiment could be stemming from more physicians using the tech in practice. AI use cases nearly doubled from 38% in 2023 to 66% in 2024.
- The most common uses now include medical research, clinical documentation, and drafting care plans or discharge summaries.
The dramatic drop in non-users (62% to 33%) over the course of a year is impressive for any new health tech, but doctors in the latest survey called out several needs that have to be addressed for adoption to continue.
- 88% wanted a designated feedback channel
- 87% wanted data privacy assurances
- 84% wanted EHR integration
While physicians are still concerned about the potential of AI to harm data privacy or offer incorrect recommendations (and liability risks), they’re also optimistic about its ability to put a dent in burnout.
- The biggest area of opportunity for AI according to 57% of physicians was “addressing administrative burden through automation,” reclaiming the top spot it reached in 2023.
- That said, nearly half of physicians (47%) ranked increased AI oversight as the number one regulatory action needed to increase trust in AI enough to drive further adoption.
The Takeaway
It’s encouraging to see the shifting sentiment around health AI, especially as more doctors embrace its potential to cut down on burnout. Although the survey pinpoints better oversight as the key to maximizing trust, AI innovation is moving so quickly that it wouldn’t be surprising if not-too-distant breakthroughs were magical enough to inspire more confidence on their own.
