Physicians’ attitudes and knowledge toward artificial intelligence in medicine: Benefits and drawbacks

Abstract

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the medical field is increasing and is expected to shape future clinical practice and job security. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the opinions and attitudes of practicing physicians in Bahrain regarding the benefits and drawbacks of AI for their future daily practice. A cross-sectional survey of practicing physicians with a minimum of five years' experience across the main secondary and tertiary care hospitals in Bahrain was conducted. An online questionnaire was used to collect data on demographics, knowledge of AI, attitudes towards the use of AI in 10 tasks of daily clinical practice, and opinions on the benefits and drawbacks of AI. A total of 114 physicians participated in the survey. Among them, 43 (37.7%) were registered psychiatrists, 15 (13.2%) were pathologists, 17 (14.9%) were radiologists, and 39 (34.2%) were surgical specialists. The participants' attitudes were overall positive towards AI. Pathologists were particularly in favor of using AI to "Formulate personalized medication and/or treatment plans for patients" and to "Interview patients in a range of settings to obtain medical history." Most participants agreed that AI would reduce the time needed to establish a diagnosis and negatively affect employment rates. There were no correlations between the responses and the participants' age, gender, years of experience, or AI knowledge. This study demonstrates that the attitudes towards the use of AI in medicine among practicing physicians in Bahrain are similar to those of physicians in developed countries in that they are positive and welcoming of AI implementation in practice. However, the potential effects of AI on job security are a major concern.