AI use among American doctors has doubled, new AMA survey says
Artificial intelligence utilization among American doctors has doubled, according to the results of a new survey released Thursday.
More than 4 in 5 physicians (81%) shared that they are deploying this technology in their practices, the American Medical Association reports. That’s up from the 38% seen in 2023 when the AMA first started conducting its Physician Survey on Augmented Intelligence.
Radiologists and other doctors are “cautiously optimistic” about the promise of this technology and its ability to reduce burnout, but with some caveats, the survey found. For instance, nearly half of respondents said they would never or rarely want patients using AI to interpret radiology (46%) or pathology (49%) results.
“AI has quickly become part of everyday medical practice,” AMA CEO John Whyte, MD, MPH, said in a statement March 12. “Physicians see real promise in its ability to support clinical decisions and cut down on administrative burden. But as this technology advances, it is critical that augmented intelligence be designed to enhance—not replace—physicians.”
The AMA reached a total of nearly 1,700 U.S. physicians for its survey. Respondents represented a broad range of specialties, geographic regions, career stages and practice settings, according to the report. Docs were asked to answer questions based on their primary practice environment. AMA said the results build on previous iterations of the survey conducted in 2023 (with 1,081 docs) and 2024 (1,183).
The average number of AI use cases per physician was about 2.3 in 2026, up from 1.1 in 2023. Most commonly, physicians said they were using the technology to summarize medical research or document clinical care. Physician confidence in AI continues to grow, according to the AMA. More than three-quarters of docs believe AI is improving their ability to care for patients, up from 65% in 2023. Diagnostic accuracy and work efficiency are seen as the greatest advantages of using AI, the survey found.
About 40% of respondents had balanced attitudes of equal excitement and concern, the AMA noted. Privacy and preserving the integrity of patient-physician relationships were seen as top concerns. About 70% of physicians view AI as a tool to automate tasks and address burnout. However, 88% are concerned about the erosion of skills, particularly among physicians with fewer than 10 years of clinical experience.
Data privacy (86%) and robust safety validation (88%) are both seen as critical to broader adoption of AI, the survey found. Physicians also are calling for clearer liability frameworks as one of the most important actions regulators can take to build trust. About 85% said they want to be consulted or directly involved in decisions about AI adoption. Strong clinical evidence and practical implementation guides were the most cited resources docs said were needed to allow for successful AI integration.
Marty Stempniak has covered healthcare since 2012, with his byline appearing in the American Hospital Association's member magazine, Modern Healthcare and McKnight's. Prior to that, he wrote about village government and local business for his hometown newspaper in Oak Park, Illinois. He won a Peter Lisagor and Gold EXCEL awards in 2017 for his coverage of the opioid epidemic.