Experts fear the sudden increase in the use of AI may have dangerous consequences for dogs and cats across the UK, labelling the tool a "ticking time bomb".
Animal charity RSPCA has raised concerns over the rapid increase in AI tools, such as ChatGPT and Gemini.
With around 10% of pet owners turning to AI to answer queries and concerns, experts fear this could lead to complacency among owners or even result in them breaking the law.
A response to rising vet costs
The charity believes owners may be turning to AI in an effort to save money and avoid costly vet bills.
But this could lead to misinformation, and in some cases risk the wellbeing of them animals themselves.
"Not where you should be looking for advice"
TV vet Rory Cowlam shares the RSPCA's concerns. "There is a massive difference between a vet using clinical AI to support an examination, and a pet owner using a text chatbot to skip one entirely. Animals are hardwired to hide their pain, and AI on our smartphone screens can’t feel a bloated stomach, test failing kidneys, or spot the subtle signs of suffering." he explained.
"AI can be a great tool for brainstorming general pet tips, like how to keep your pet entertained, or enrichment ideas.
But when your animal is genuinely sick, a chatbot is not where you should be looking for advice. If in doubt, log out from AI and reach out to a professional."
