The 2026 Physician Survey on Augmented Intelligence from the American Medical Association’s (AMA) Center for Digital Health and AI indicates that physician adoption of AI is increasing alongside growing confidence in the technology’s ability to address clinical challenges.
This annual survey on physicians' use of and perspectives on AI found that four in five physicians (81%) are using AI in their practices, a significant increase from 38% reported in 2023.
Although physicians continue to express some caution about the overall promise of AI—particularly regarding patient use of the technology without physician guidance—they are increasingly using AI tools for clinical care documentation and summarization to help prevent and manage burnout.
“AI has quickly become part of everyday medical practice. Physicians see real promise in its ability to support clinical decisions and cut down on administrative burden. But as this technology advances, it is critical that augmented intelligence be designed to enhance—not replace—physicians,” said John Whyte, MD, MPH, Chief Executive Officer of the AMA.
Survey Methods
The AMA surveyed 1,692 physicians across specialties, practice settings, and career stages between January 15 and February 2, 2026; participation was voluntary and confidential.
Prior waves of the study were conducted in 2023 (n = 1,081) and 2024 (n = 1,183) to assess the evolving role of AI in clinical practice.
Survey questions addressed the perceived impact of AI on clinical care; awareness of AI tools; familiarity with use cases; governance, liability, and regulatory frameworks; trust in AI; the influence of technology on decision-making; perspectives on patient use of AI; privacy concerns; and more. Additions to the 2026 survey reflected emerging areas of adoption, including patient-facing medical chatbots and other patient-directed uses of AI tools in health care.
Key Survey Insights
Respondents to the 2026 survey had a median of 20 years in practice (excluding residency/fellowship), a median of 35 hours per week of direct patient care, and were part of practices with a median of 26 physicians. The largest proportion worked in group practices (38%), followed by hospital settings (24%). In addition, 23% were full- or part-time owners of their practice. Primary care physicians represented the largest specialty group (25%).
Physician use of AI is currently focused primarily on workflow efficiency, particularly tasks such as medical research summarization, with 39% of respondents reporting use of AI tools for this purpose in 2026, up from 13% in 2024. About 70% of respondents believe AI can help automate tasks that contribute to burnout.
Overall, physicians appear optimistic about the possible benefits of AI, with 76% of participants reporting that its use enhances their ability to care for patients. However, despite increased professional use, about 40% remain as concerned as they are excited about AI's impact on their practice.
Participating physicians expect AI to positively impact most areas of their work, with efficiency and diagnostic ability cited most often. However, patient privacy is one area in which physicians anticipate that AI could cause more harm than good.
Another area of concern is potential skill loss, cited by 88% of physicians, with most of that concern focused on early-career physicians.
Regarding patient use of AI medical tools, 29% of participating physicians reported that none of their patients had disclosed using AI chatbots, whereas 30% believed that at least half of their patients were using these tools.
Seventy percent of physicians reported that patient use of general-purpose AI tools for routine health information, when used appropriately, is beneficial or has no impact. However, most indicated that they preferred patient use of AI to be focused on medication use and adverse effects rather than the interpretation of radiology and pathology reports. For areas requiring clinical judgment, most preferred that patients consult physicians rather than AI chatbots.
Physicians prioritize validation of the safety, efficacy, and data privacy of AI tools when considering their adoption. Concerns about patient data privacy are greatest with noninstitutional tools. When patient safety or data privacy is compromised, respondents want clarity on the legal responsibility and accountability. Most participants believe that clear liability frameworks would strengthen trust in AI in health care.
Most physicians expressed a desire to be involved in AI implementation decisions (55%) to evaluate the clinical evidence supporting these tools.
Additionally, 92% reported a desire for more education and training in AI, with 27% noting they had not received any training on AI use cases from any source.
