A recent study has revealed that nearly three in 10 General Practitioners (GPs) in the UK are utilizing Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, such as ChatGPT, during patient consultations. This rapid adoption is occurring despite significant concerns regarding potential mistakes, professional liability, and medico-legal issues that could arise from unregulated use.

The research, conducted by the Nuffield Trust thinktank based on a survey of 2,108 family doctors by the Royal College of GPs and focus groups, highlights a “wild west” scenario due to a lack of national regulation for AI in healthcare. This regulatory void leaves GPs uncertain about which tools are safe and appropriate for clinical practice. Of the surveyed GPs, 598 (28%) confirmed using AI, with a higher prevalence among male GPs (33%) compared to female GPs (25%), and more frequent use in affluent areas.

GPs are primarily employing AI for tasks such as summarizing patient appointments, aiding in diagnosis, and handling routine administrative duties. However, a large majority of doctors, regardless of their AI usage, express profound worries about the risks of clinical errors, patient privacy, and data security issues associated with these tools. Dr. Becks Fisher, a GP and the Nuffield Trust’s director of research and policy, emphasized the significant disparity between governmental ambitions for AI to transform the NHS and the current disorganized reality of its implementation in general practice.

The inconsistent regulatory landscape is further compounded by differing policies among NHS regional integrated care boards, some of which support AI use while others prohibit it. Contrary to ministerial hopes that AI-driven efficiency would enable GPs to see more patients, the study found that doctors are primarily using the saved time for self-care and rest, including reducing overtime, to prevent burnout.

Similar findings were reported in a separate study published last month in the journal Digital Health, which noted an increase in AI use among family doctors from 20% to 25% over the past year. Dr. Charlotte Blease of Uppsala University, lead author of that research, stated that generative AI has quickly transitioned from a taboo subject to a common tool in British medicine, underscoring the critical need for training and oversight in its deployment. She warned that the true risk lies not in GPs using AI, but in doing so without proper guidance.

Patients are also increasingly turning to AI for health information, particularly when facing difficulties in securing GP appointments. Healthwatch England reported that about one in ten (9%) patients use AI tools for health advice, though they caution that the quality of such advice is inconsistent, citing an instance where an AI tool confused shingles with Lyme disease. The government launched a commission in September to address the safe, effective, and regulated use of AI, with recommendations expected in a future report.