Poll: Americans want humans to make diagnoses
A new survey indicates that while patients accept AI for administrative tasks, they prefer clinicians to handle medical judgments and insurance decisions.
By Jillian Foster ·
Most U.S. adults want doctors to make medical decisions rather than relying on artificial intelligence, according to a new survey by the Pew Research Center. The study, conducted in June, polled more than 3,400 adults to gauge public comfort with AI in healthcare settings.
Respondents expressed strong support for using AI to handle routine administrative duties. A solid majority felt comfortable with the technology translating patient notes or scheduling appointments, either independently or with human oversight. More than half of those surveyed also approved of AI analyzing medical scans and lab results, provided a healthcare professional supervised the process.
Public confidence drops when AI takes on clinical roles. Almost half of the participants said they do not want an AI model deciding whether to accept or reject an insurance claim. Similarly, 41% of respondents said they do not want AI making a diagnosis on its own. The data shows a clear preference for human judgment in high-stakes medical situations.
Galen Stocking, associate director of science and society research at Pew, noted that patients value the potential of AI but want transparency. He emphasized that patients need to know when and how providers use the technology. "Overall, people say it's extremely important that their healthcare provider tell them if they are using AI," Stocking said.
A large portion of the public remains in the dark about current practices. Stocking pointed to a finding that 46% of respondents said they do not know if AI has ever been used during their own care. This lack of clarity contributes to general discomfort with the technology's expanding role in medicine.
The survey revealed a divided public on the long-term impact of AI on medical quality. Sixty percent of respondents said they are uncomfortable with doctors using AI for diagnosis and treatment tasks, while only 30% are okay with it and 10% are unsure. Stocking attributed these concerns to worries about the patient-doctor relationship and the security of personal health information.
Opinions on whether AI will improve care remain split. Some 37% of respondents said AI will improve health outcomes. A nearly equal share of the population believes the technology could reduce the quality of medical care, indicating that trust in AI-driven healthcare is not yet universal.
Source: KCNC-TV · original report published
