People trust doctors more than AI

Trust in human clinicians remains stronger than trust in AI, with only a small share of participants willing to rely on AI for medical diagnoses.

Most people remain cautious about AI diagnosing health conditions, but attitudes improve when AI is used for cancer detection and presented through clear real-world examples.

New research shows that most people remain cautious about using ChatGPT for diagnoses but view AI more favourably when it supports cancer detection. The findings come from two nationally representative surveys presented at the Society for Risk Analysis annual meeting.

The study, led by researchers from USC and Baruch College, analysed trust and attitudes towards AI in medicine. Participants generally trusted human clinicians more, with only about one in six saying they trusted AI as much as a medical expert.

Individuals who had used AI tools such as ChatGPT tended to hold more positive attitudes, reporting greater understanding and enthusiasm for AI-assisted healthcare. Familiarity appeared to reduce hesitation and increase confidence in the technology.

When shown an AI system for early cervical cancer detection, respondents reported more excitement and potential than fear. The results suggest that concrete, real-world applications can help build trust in medical AI.

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