The trend: Consumer perception of healthcare providers worsens when they find out the doctor uses AI, according to research recently published in JAMA Network. Nearly 1,300 US adults were surveyed earlier this year.

Digging into the study: Consumers were shown fictitious ads for family physicians’ use of AI. One ad promoted a medical practice that uses AI to make patients’ appointments more efficient. Another ad stated that its doctors use AI tools for optimized diagnostics, while a third ad said it uses AI for therapy. The last group of participants saw an ad that did not mention doctors using AI.

The findings reveal that consumers assess physicians who use AI as less trustworthy, less competent, and less empathetic than doctors who didn’t use AI. Participants were also less likely to schedule an appointment with the portrayed physician if any type of AI use was mentioned.

Why it matters: It's been theorized that patients will be more trusting of their physicians’ AI use as long as it’s communicated to them.

• For instance, 80% of people said they specifically want to be informed about how their doctor uses AI to supplement healthcare decisions, identify treatment options, and provide support, according to Deloitte's 2024 Consumer Healthcare Survey.

Our take: This study's findings provide somewhat of a counter to the idea that being upfront about a practice’s AI use is all that’s needed to gain patient trust. Healthcare is inherently emotional, and many consumers might be under the impression that their doctor is using AI as a shortcut. In reality, the opposite might be true. Physicians use AI to make them more efficient and free them up to spend extra time with patients. But language and details matter, and providers and marketers must ensure this is reflected in their messaging.