Ethics and Professionalism in Artificial Intelligence and Medical Practice: A Position Paper From the American College of Physicians

Artificial intelligence (AI) in health care is being rapidly adopted in perhaps one of the most rapid implementations of technology in medicine to date. Better thought of as augmented intelligence, as a tool that provides assistance to physicians and patients, many guidelines for its use have been issued, but consensus has not yet been achieved on issues such as privacy, disclosure, and fairness. Patients and physicians need ethical guidance at the point of care. Three guideposts described in this American College of Physicians position paper and rooted in the patient-physician relationship-principles of medical ethics, clinical integrity, and physician-independent practical reasoning-can inform the ethical use of AI: relationality, self-governance, and competence. This paper examines the implications of AI for patients, physicians, and health care and provides guidance for its ethical use.