The ‘concerning’ impact of AI on health workers

TechnologyHealth & Fitness
13 Aug 2025 • 4:07 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

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  • A new study suggests that regular use of artificial intelligence could potentially “deskill” health workers, a finding described as “concerning” given AI's rapid adoption in healthcare.
  • The research focused on endoscopists performing colonoscopies to detect precancerous growths (adenomas) in the bowel.
  • The study, conducted in Poland, analysed 1,442 colonoscopies and found a 6 per cent lower rate of polyp detection when endoscopists worked without AI after its introduction.
  • This is believed to be the first study to indicate a negative impact of regular AI use on healthcare professionals' ability to complete a patient-relevant task in medicine.
  • Academics are calling for urgent further research into AI's impact on health professionals' skills across various medical fields to understand and mitigate potential problems.

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