Artificial Intelligence, or AI as it is commonly known, has rapidly grown over the last few years. While there has been excitement around it, there has also been scepticism and debate. AI isn’t going anywhere anytime soon as more individuals and workplaces begin to use it. So what does this mean for Primary Care? 

AI is a technology that simulates human learning, decision-making, problem-solving, and understanding. AI continuously learns from new information and identifies patterns in the information it has been fed to carry out tasks it has been asked to do. For example, a digital assistant such as Alexa or Siri is a type of AI most of us may commonly use every day and is instantly able to bring us information with simple prompts. Still, AI is growing rapidly as new technologies compete with one another every day to gain an edge with consumers. 

AI has become more commonplace in the workplace, and the healthcare sector is no stranger to it. In 2019, the Topol Review was released, which outlined recommendations for the NHS to become a world leader in utilising technology for healthcare delivery in the hopes that this would benefit patients. The hope is that the implementation of AI will free up more time for practitioners by removing repetitive tasks, ensuring patients receive important information directly. 

AI is being used for tasks such as: 

• Faster and more accurate diagnosis 
• Reduction of errors 
• Assisting with repetitive tasks 
• Decreasing costs 

Advancements in the use of AI in healthcare have continued to happen since the Topol Review. In 2021, patients with diabetes benefitted from AI technology that turned a smartphone camera into a clinical-grade tool to detect early kidney disease. Known as Healthy.io, the technology consists of an ACR test kit and a mobile application with image recognition. The software scans and analyses a urine reagent strip, automatically sending the result to the clinician. With the ability to use this AI tool at home, it has increased uptake while reducing costs and reducing the workload in primary care. 

In February 2025, a world-leading AI trial to tackle breast cancer was launched where 700,000 women will take part in the trials. The new technology will assist specialists in identifying changes in breast tissue and refer them for further investigations if required. Without the technology, 2 specialists are needed per mammogram screening, but with the aid of AI technology, only one specialist will be needed to complete the screening, therefore freeing up resources and radiologists across the country.  

There are many more trials taking place with the inclusion of AI in the UK and while AI could vastly improve healthcare, staff and patients have mixed views on it.  

According to The Health Foundation, overall, NHS staff and the public support the use of AI. 54% support the use of technology for diagnosing illnesses as opposed to 33% who are unsupportive. The number of people who are supportive of the use of AI increases when it comes to administrative tasks such as sending letters and planning rotas. Support for the usage of AI was even greater among NHS staff, with 76% supporting its use for patient care and 81% for administrative tasks.  

There are worries when it comes to AI and how it will shape healthcare, these include: 

Care quality 

33% of people believe AI will not make a difference to care quality, while 18% believe it could worsen care quality, due to the potential for errors, and privacy concerns. 

Human dimension 

AI cannot show empathy or kindness, and 27% of NHS staff believe this could be a problem, with 24% of the public agreeing. 53% of the public believe AI will make them feel more distant from healthcare staff and 65% of staff believe it will also make them feel distant from patients.  

Accuracy 

“Decisions made by AI may not be accurate” and “healthcare staff won’t question AI’s decisions” were two disadvantages named by the public at 28% and 30% respectively. Staff also worry that AI may not be accurate at 26%. 

AI is not going anywhere as it becomes more popular in wider society and healthcare. While there are people who are supportive of the technology, there are some who are less than favourable to it and it isn’t hard to understand why this is the case. Keeping the human side of healthcare will be important for many, and this concern along with accuracy and transparency needs to be addressed for the public and staff to feel more confident about AI.