ABSTRACT Background: Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming pathology by enhancing diagnostic accuracy, optimizing workflows, and supporting clinical decision-making. Despite global advancements, there is a limited understanding of Indian pathologists’ awareness, acceptance, and perceived challenges regarding AI integration. Objective: To assess the levels of awareness, acceptance, perceived challenges, and educational needs related to AI in pathology among pathologists in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 200 pathologists using a structured online questionnaire. After excluding incomplete responses, 118 valid responses were analyzed. Descriptive statistics summarized demographic data and response patterns, while Chi-square tests were performed to examine associations between awareness, comfort, and trust in AI applications. Results: Among respondents, 53.8% were somewhat aware of AI in pathology, while 22% were entirely unaware. Digital image analysis was the most recognized application. Trust in AI was moderate for diagnostic and prognostic tasks but higher for workflow management. Significant associations were observed between awareness and trust in diagnostic ( χ 2 = 28.53, P < 0.001) and prognostic applications ( χ 2 = 16.46, P = 0.0115), while comfort with AI use was strongly linked to trust ( χ 2 = 51.26, P < 0.001). Major concerns included reliability, ethics, and data privacy. Seventy-six percent indicated willingness to adopt validated AI tools, and 87% supported incorporating AI education into residency. Conclusion: Indian pathologists exhibit growing interest in AI integration but harbor critical concerns. Trust is significantly influenced by awareness and user comfort, emphasizing the need for hands-on, practical training programs to ensure successful and ethical AI adoption in pathology.
Pottumuthu et al. (Thu,) studied this question.