Predicting GPs' engagement with artificial intelligence

Abstract

This paper investigated GP perception of artificial intelligence in relation to symptom checking, and specifically whether GPs view artificial intelligence as an opportunity or a threat. The authors advocate for a sustained collaboration between GPs and artificial intelligence as the way forward for patient and societal benefit. A collaborative approach requires broad-level adoption of artificial intelligence-enabled applications to complement rather than replace a GP's own expertise. Drawing on extant literature, this study investigated how measures of self-efficacy, being an individual's ability to believe in their own ability to organise and implement courses of action, influence the perception of artificial intelligence as an opportunity rather than as a threat. Prior work suggested that higher measures of self-efficacy would correlate with the view that artificial intelligence is an opportunity. In this work, 110 GPs from the UK were invited to be surveyed via a structured questionnaire about perceived self-efficacy and view of artificial intelligence. Of these, 26 GPs agreed to participate, giving a response rate of 24%. The results gave preliminary evidence that higher levels of perceived self-efficacy were associated with greater perceptions of artificial intelligence either as an opportunity or as a threat. This finding offers a new perspective for policy makers, leaders and academics, who are looking for predictors of artificial intelligence engagement. This work may form the basis for further research on the potential causal relationship between self-efficacy and AI adoption, which could ultimately help facilitate artificial intelligence adoption.