Artificial intelligence is increasingly becoming part of the doctor-patient conversation, with patients arriving at medical appointments armed not only with symptoms and questions but also with diagnoses generated by AI tools.
The growing use of platforms such as ChatGPT and other generative AI systems is changing the way people research their health. Unlike traditional internet searches, AI systems can produce detailed, personalised explanations based on symptoms, medical histories and information supplied by users.
That can make AI-generated advice particularly convincing, even when the information is incomplete or incorrect.
Medical experts say doctors should neither automatically dismiss AI-generated diagnoses nor accept them without question. Instead, they recommend treating the information as a starting point for a conversation.
Patients often turn to AI because they want quick answers, are concerned about their symptoms or want to better understand a condition before seeing a doctor. A patient may therefore arrive believing they have a particular illness or expecting specific tests based on an AI conversation.
The first step for doctors may simply be to ask whether the patient has used AI to research their symptoms.
Patients do not always volunteer that information. Asking directly can reveal concerns or assumptions that might otherwise remain hidden during the consultation.
Once AI has been identified as an influence, doctors can examine the information with the patient. Reviewing what symptoms, medical history or other information was entered into the AI system can help explain how the system reached its conclusion.
Experts argue that this approach can preserve the patient’s engagement rather than making them feel that their concerns have been dismissed.
AI-generated medical information can sometimes be useful. It may help patients identify questions they want to discuss with their doctor or encourage them to seek medical attention. However, AI systems cannot physically examine a patient, observe clinical signs or independently conduct medical tests.
They can also produce confident answers that are inaccurate or inappropriate for an individual’s circumstances.
Another concern is that AI recommendations may be based on medical practices or guidelines from other countries. Treatment recommendations that appear reasonable in an AI-generated response may not necessarily correspond with local clinical guidance.
For doctors, the key task is therefore to compare AI-generated conclusions with the patient’s actual medical history, examination findings, relevant tests and applicable clinical guidelines.
A practical approach recommended by medical experts involves four stages: acknowledge the patient’s effort, explore how AI was used, assess the information against clinical evidence and then develop a management plan.
The approach allows doctors to recognise that patients are increasingly taking an active role in understanding their health while maintaining the clinician’s responsibility for diagnosis and treatment decisions.
Dismissing AI outright could damage trust, particularly if patients believe the technology has provided useful information. But accepting an AI-generated diagnosis without proper clinical assessment creates a different risk.
The growing use of AI means doctors may increasingly need to address technology-generated health information alongside traditional sources such as internet searches, medical websites and advice from friends or family.
The change could ultimately make consultations more collaborative. Patients may arrive better prepared, while doctors can help distinguish useful information from misleading conclusions.
The central message for clinicians is therefore not to treat AI as either an enemy or an authority. Instead, AI-generated medical advice should be examined critically and placed within the context of professional clinical judgement.
As patients increasingly use artificial intelligence to make sense of their symptoms, the ability to discuss and evaluate AI-generated information may become an increasingly important part of modern healthcare.
