7th Global Gastroenterology and Artificial Intelligence Summit (Live)

5 - Curtis
Pdf Summary
This document, presented by Shannon Curtis, J.D., Director of Federal Affairs at the American Medical Association (AMA), addresses critical issues surrounding the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare, focusing on ethics, law, and physician leadership in policy-making.<br /><br />Key questions driving AI adoption in healthcare include how to enhance trust, ensure safety, and determine responsibility when harm occurs. Despite growing enthusiasm—with 68% of physicians recognizing AI’s potential to enhance patient care—concerns remain about transparency, explainability, safety, bias, liability, data privacy, and maintaining the physician-patient relationship. Physicians emphasize the need for appropriate regulation, oversight, and physician-led standards to build trust.<br /><br />Currently, the regulatory environment is complex; FDA oversight exists primarily for medical devices, but there is limited regulation for clinical decision support systems and emerging AI tools like large language models. Physicians remain legally responsible for patient outcomes, though the AMA argues that AI developers should share liability when errors occur unknowingly by clinicians. As AI becomes the standard of care, legal responsibility is expected to clarify.<br /><br />Emerging challenges include defining AI’s scope of practice, addressing potential physician deskilling, bridging the digital divide to ensure equitable access, and understanding AI’s impact on the patient relationship. Physician involvement is critical at every AI development stage—from design through deployment—and physician education on AI is essential to safely and effectively utilize these tools.<br /><br />Survey data show rapid AI adoption growth among physicians, with administrative tasks being a primary use case. Physicians cite the importance of feedback mechanisms, privacy assurances, workflow integration, training, and increased regulatory oversight to foster trust.<br /><br />The AMA provides resources, policies, and advocacy efforts to support physician leadership in shaping AI’s future in healthcare, emphasizing ethics, safety, education, and regulatory guidance to realize AI's benefits responsibly.
Keywords
Artificial Intelligence
Healthcare
Ethics
Physician Leadership
AI Regulation
Patient Safety
Medical Liability
AI Adoption
Data Privacy
AMA Advocacy