The Downside of AI in Healthcare: Erosion of Medical Skills

A recent study raises concerns over frequent reliance on artificial intelligence in healthcare, particularly as it relates to skill degradation among medical professionals. Researchers found a 20% drop in experienced clinicians' ability to identify benign tumours during colonoscopies when AI was not in use.

Conducted by a team from various European countries, the study examined over 1,400 colonoscopies. It revealed that non-AI-assisted procedures detected fewer adenomas, a type of non-cancerous tumour. The findings suggest that continuous use of AI diminishes practitioners' diagnostic skills over time.

The study, published in The Lancet Gastroenterology and Hepatology, is the first to show a negative impact from regular AI use on healthcare professionals' task performance. The results underscore the need for more research to understand AI's effects across different medical fields before its widespread adoption continues unchecked.

(With inputs from agencies.)