Physician AI usage reaches 81% according to AMA survey

According to a 2026 survey by the American Medical Association, 81% of physicians now use artificial intelligence in their work, doubling the usage rate reported in 2023.

While AI applications range from research summarization to diagnostic suggestions, clinical readiness depends on rigorous testing. Key criteria for deployment include testing by actual doctors and patients outside of vendor demonstrations, human sign-off before care changes, and the ability to easily identify errors.

Currently, ambient note-taking, specifically “AI scribe” software, is among the most tested tools. A randomized trial at UCLA Health involving 238 doctors across 14 specialties found that one such tool reduced note-taking time by approximately 9.5%, or 41 seconds per note.