Clinicians Perspectives on the use of AI in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care

Balancing Innovation and Trust: Clinicians’ Perspectives on the use of AI in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care

As artificial intelligence (AI) technologies continue to make strides in healthcare, a recently published survey sheds light on how anesthesia and intensive care professionals perceive its integration into their daily practice. Conducted by the IntelliLung Consortium and distributed by the European Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care (ESAIC), a project partner, the survey reveals a mix of optimism and guarded caution among clinicians worldwide. Most anaesthesia and intensive care professionals are open to using AI in clinical practice, but demand better education, transparency, and clear ethical guidelines before fully embracing it.

 Study results

 The survey, which included 510 participants across 78% European and 14.5% Asian representation, reveals a significant willingness among clinicians to embrace AI-based decision support systems (AI-DSS). The survey was distributed online via ESAIC channels, reaching a global audience of professionals in anesthesia and intensive care. It explored familiarity with AI, perceived benefits and risks, and the readiness to adopt AI tools in clinical settings. The study provides valuable insights into the attitudes and expectations of clinicians, paving the way for targeted strategies to support AI adoption in clinical practice.

•  97% of respondents are open to integrating an AI-Decision Support System into their daily workflows, citing anticipated benefits such as improved decision-making (92.7%), complication prediction (88.6%), and reduced workloads (80.1%).
• 94.5% of participants expressed interest in AI-related training, with younger and less experienced professionals showing the greatest enthusiasm.
• Major concerns include lack of transparency in AI algorithms (68.4%), ethical and medico-legal uncertainties (58.4%), and fears of over-reliance on technology (80.8%).
• Clinicians with prior exposure to AI-based tools are more likely to trust its outputs, even when algorithms are not fully explainable, and demonstrate fewer concerns about ethical dilemmas or inaccurate results.

This international survey revealed cautious optimism among anaesthesia and intensive care professionals regarding the integration of AI into clinical practice. While respondents anticipated significant improvements in patient care, decision-making reliability, and efficiency, concerns about ethics, transparency, and legal clarity remain barriers to adoption. Tailored education, transparent AI design, rigorous validation, and the establishment of clear guidelines and regulatory frameworks are essential to address these challenges.