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The nation’s leading lobbying group for physicians plans to develop guidelines to deploy rapidly advancing technologies across the healthcare industry responsibly.
American Medical Association officials said that artificial intelligence (AI) and other new technologies could revolutionize medical care and pose unforeseen patient dangers.
Delegates at the group’s recent annual meeting agreed to craft recommendations on AI and vowed to discuss potential measures to combat misleading or false AI-generated medical information with policymakers.
AMA executives said that ChatGPT and similar AI systems hold great promise for both enhancing patient care and alleviating current burdens on doctors. Still, at their present stages of development, they remain plagued by potential issues. Relying on nascent AI systems, they said, could lead to incorrect medical advice, confirm bias or increase disparities in care, or spread disinformation.
The group warned doctors to use AI technologies with “appropriate caution” and said they must be aware of the risks and potential implications for liability before utilizing them.
But the association also said it aims to anticipate and address AI technology with an open mind and encouraged physicians to discuss both the risks and the benefits of using it. Alexander Ding, a Kentucky radiologist and AMA trustee, said the group hopes to apply its expertise to build policies to regulate the industry and “guardrails” to prevent harmful unintended consequences.
