A nationwide survey on the perceptions of general surgeons on artificial intelligence

Abstract

Aim: Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to improve perioperative diagnosis and decision making. Despite promising study results, the majority of AI platforms in surgery currently remain in the research setting. Understanding the current knowledge and general attitude of surgeons toward AI applications in their surgical practice is essential and can contribute to the future development and uptake of AI in surgery. Methods: In March 2021, a web-based survey was conducted among members of the Dutch Association of Surgery. The survey measured opinions on the existing knowledge, expectations, and concerns on AI among surgical residents and surgeons. Results: A total of 313 respondents completed the survey. Overall, 85% of the respondents agreed that AI could be of value in the surgical field and 61% expected AI to improve their diagnostic ability. The outpatient clinic (35.8%) and operating room (39.6%) were stated as area of interest for the use of AI. Statistically, surgeons working in an academic hospital were more likely to be aware of the possibilities of AI (P = 0.01). The surgeons in this survey were not worried about job replacement, however they raised the greatest concerns on accountability issues (50.5%), loss of autonomy (46.6%), and risk of bias (43.5%). Conclusion: This survey demonstrates that the majority of the surgeons show a positive and open attitude towards AI. Although various ethical issues and concerns arise, the expectations regarding the implementation of future surgical AI applications are high.