Public Attitudes Toward Notification of Use of Artificial Intelligence in Health Care

• Patient notification is a minimum ethical standard and is essential for data privacy laws and informed consent in health care.
• Transparency through notification is a key principle for the ethical use of AI, but current policies and practices vary across health systems.
• A survey conducted in 2023 assessed public attitudes toward notification about AI use in health care, using validated methods and oversampling for specific demographic groups.
• Over 62% of respondents strongly agreed that notification about AI use in their health care is important.
• Demographic differences were observed, with women and White respondents expressing higher preferences for notification compared to other groups.
• The study showed that the desire for AI notification was higher than for health information or biospecimen use in previous research.
• Limitations include the study's cross-sectional design and potential unmeasured errors, necessitating further longitudinal studies.
• Findings suggest that notification is critical for ethical AI use, raising questions about when and how to notify patients.
• Demographic insights highlight the need for approaches that address historical inequities and ensure equitable transparency.
• Collaboration among patients, experts, and the public is necessary to create evidence-based programs that enhance trust in health systems.

Take-Home Points:

1. Notification is essential for transparency and ethical AI use in health care.
2. Public preference for notification is high, with variations across demographics.
3. Health systems and policymakers must prioritize effective notification strategies.
4. Equity-focused approaches are needed to address historical and systemic challenges.
5. Collaboration will ensure trust and transparency in AI applications in health care.

Learn More from the Article