The AI Surge in Surgery: Evolution, Challenges, and Ethical Considerations

Abstract

Interestingly, the integration of AI technologies into surgery in the past 5 years has increased by more than 400%, changing the way patients are treated and work is performed globally. Artificial intelligence (AI) in the field of surgery is changing the modern face of medicine by providing it with better accuracy, decision-making, and patient outcomes. Examples of AI in practice suggest their use before, during, and after surgery. Nevertheless, as fast as this is progressing, there are also emerging advanced data privacy problems, inequality in algorithms, and ethical issues associated with training and decision-making. Due to the increasing use of surgical AI systems as support and the possible emergence of autonomous entities, the need to care about clinical validation, ethical regulation, and multidisciplinary work should become stricter. This commentary highlights the current state, opportunity, and protective measures needed to offer fair and practical application of surgical AI. The audience of this commentary is surgical practitioners, healthcare administrators, and policymakers in an effort to foster an informed debate as well as create a system of incentives toward the collaborative model that is indispensable in advancing the responsible incorporation of AI into surgical use.