Most Patients Surveyed Trust an AI Diagnosis Over a Doctor’s Diagnosis

In a survey of more than 1000 people, 64% of respondents said they would trust a diagnosis made by artificial intelligence (AI) over a diagnosis made by a doctor.

The survey, conducted by Innerbody Research, also showed that trust in AI is greater among younger people than among older generations.

The survey included questions about robotics and nanotechnology in addition to AI and was completed by 1027 people. Four generations were represented: Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964), Gen X (1965-1980), Millennials (1981-1996), and Gen Z (1997-2012).

Across generations, most respondents said they would trust a diagnosis made by AI over one made by a doctor, including 82% of Gen Z, 66% of Millennials, 62% of Gen X, and 57% of Baby Boomers.

However, respondents’ top concern about the use of AI in health care was the accuracy of diagnoses (54%). Other top concerns were data privacy and security (50%) and technical limitations (43%).

Respondents were most comfortable with the use of AI in medical imaging analysis, with 60% of respondents supporting this use of AI. The next most supported uses were in predictive analytics (47%) and electronic health record management (46%).

In addition to general support of AI, the survey revealed general support of robotics in health care. Only 4% of respondents said they would not feel at all comfortable with robots involved in their medical care. Baby Boomers were the least comfortable, with 9% reporting discomfort.

Overall, respondents reported the greatest comfort with the use of robots for X-rays (86%), CT scans (82%), MRIs (77%), and skin examinations (75%).

However, responses about comfort with robotics varied across generations. Gen Z was most comfortable with the use of robots in diagnosis, Millennials in rehabilitation and diagnosis, Gen X in assistance with daily tasks, and Baby Boomers in rehabilitation.

Lastly, the survey showed that respondents generally supported the use of nanotechnology in health care. Only 7% of respondents said they were uncomfortable with the use of nanotechnology in all medical applications.

The 3 older generations were most comfortable with using nanotechnology for imaging applications, while Gen Z was more comfortable with using it for diagnostic purposes.

Overall, 67% of respondents said they were likely to undergo a medical procedure involving nanotechnology if their health care provider recommended it. However, 69% of respondents reported concern about the long-term effects of nanotechnology on the body.

Reference

Schmidt H. Technology and the future of healthcare. Innerbody Research. Updated August 7, 2023. Accessed August 15, 2023.

This article originally appeared on Cancer Therapy Advisor