About half of Israelis use artificial intelligence to assess their medical condition

According to the research findings, 54% of Israelis report that they use artificial intelligence tools to assess their medical condition at least occasionally. The most common uses are finding out symptoms, which 65% of users use, and interpreting medical test results, which 58% use. About 39% are looking for a recommendation for the appropriate treatment for their condition, and a little over an eighth even turn to AI to get a recommendation for a specific doctor.

The level of trust in these tools is relatively high: 58% of respondents stated that they trust medical artificial intelligence to a great or great extent. 56% stated that they trust medical diagnostic results interpreted by AI, and about half even trust a treatment recommendation. More than half, 52%, admitted that the decision whether to contact a doctor is influenced by the artificial intelligence recommendation.

However, alongside the widespread adoption, there are also warning signs. 39% of the respondents reported that they encountered a situation where the AI’s recommendation differed from that of the doctor, and 29% encountered at least once a recommendation that was completely medically incorrect. When there is such a contradiction, 42% testify that they will contact another doctor for a second opinion.

The research findings indicate a growing penetration of AI tools into the public’s health care, even in routine, alongside a clear expectation of responsible, controlled and complementary use of medical judgment on the part of the medical teams. The main challenge is trust: implementing artificial intelligence in the healthcare system requires transparency, and maintaining human contact with patients.”

“The public supports the integration of AI into the healthcare system, but expects it to be a supportive and supervised tool, and not a substitute for medical judgment or the personal relationship with the doctor. Accordingly, a possible policy recommendation could deal with promoting gradual and controlled assimilation, with transparency for the patient and the possibility of choice, under clear human medical responsibility.”