The data: More than half (53%) of US physicians plan to significantly increase their AI use over the next year, per a DHC Group and Sermo study in November.

• Another 40% plan to moderately increase use, while 7% plan to keep the same level of use.
• None of the 160 doctors queried on the Sermo Realtime Network plan to decrease AI usage.
• 49% currently use AI tools several times a day, and 24% use them daily.
• 69% said their AI use and knowledge has significantly increased over the past 6 months.

Why it matters: Doctors are quickly becoming comfortable with AI tools, and although they aren’t outsourcing treatment plans or final decision making to the tech, they’re increasingly relying on AI as a co-pilot.

• 56% of the Sermo physicians said AI suggested a medication they wouldn’t have considered on their own. Another 26% said AI didn’t introduce a new option but did confirm their thinking.
• Most already use AI tools to compare medications in the same class, either frequently (19%), occasionally (33%) or rarely (24%). Only 25% never do.
• 45% are open to receiving pharma-sponsored AI summaries or alerts in their workflows, which includes 14% who are very open and 31% who are somewhat open to this.

Implications for pharma marketers: As physicians rely on AI for support, the information they encounter will be shaped by the quality of the science-based content that AI systems surface.

Recommendations:

• Optimize content for AI summaries. Ensure drug and clinical content is authoritative, objective, and clearly structured so AI tools can accurately summarize and compare it.
• Educate physicians on practical AI use. Provide education, evidence, and examples that help physicians understand how pharma clinical data and science informs the AI they’re relying on.
• Reinforce physicians’ central role. Emphasize that AI augments but doesn’t replace physicians’ expertise. Continue personal outreach that asks for input and highlights the importance of their oversight.

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