A doctor who says they use AI is perceived by their patients as being less competent and less warm

In a study involving 1,030 American adults, the mere mention of AI reduced the desire to choose, recommend or follow a GP, particularly among those under 45.

Published in npj Digital Medicine, a study by M. Reis, F. Reis and their colleagues presented 1,030 American adults with fictitious descriptions of general practitioners, varying their gender, age, origin and whether or not they report using AI in their practice. This factorial design made it possible to isolate the specific effect of the mention of AI.

The result is clear: doctors who display their use of AI are perceived as less warm and less competent, and participants say they are less likely to choose, recommend or follow their advice. Counterintuitively, this "penalty" is more pronounced among those under 45, which the authors interpret as a better knowledge of the limitations of these tools.

As AI takes hold in practices, researchers recommend taking care of how to talk about it: insisting on the fact that the doctor remains responsible for the decision, that it is shared with the patient, and on the concrete benefit for the patient.