A recent study published in The Lancet Gastroenterology and Hepatology journal has raised concerns about the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the diagnostic skills of health professionals. The study found that doctors' ability to detect benign tumors dropped by about 20% after using AI assistance for three months.
The study, conducted across four endoscopy centers in Poland, involved 19 experienced doctors who performed colonoscopies with and without AI assistance. The results showed that when AI assistance was removed, doctors' detection skills decreased significantly, suggesting over-reliance on technology.
The study's findings highlight concerns about AI potentially eroding doctors' diagnostic skills, particularly if they become too reliant on technology. Researchers warn that the effects of de-skilling may worsen as AI becomes more powerful, potentially affecting trainees and novices more severely.
According to Yuichi Mori, a researcher at the University of Oslo, the effects of de-skilling will "probably be higher" as AI advances. Omer Ahmad, a consultant gastroenterologist at University College Hospital London, notes that the impact on trainees or novices might be even more significant.
The study examined over 1,400 colonoscopies and found that non-AI-assisted procedures detected fewer adenomas, a type of non-cancerous tumor. The results underscore the need for further research to understand AI's effects across different medical fields before widespread adoption continues unchecked.
