Is the advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) a double-edged sword for humanity? Recently, there have been warnings that as adolescents increasingly rely on AI tools like Chat-GPT for learning, their creativity and critical thinking skills may decline. Additionally, research has indicated that excessive use of AI as a diagnostic aid in the medical field could lead to a decrease in doctors' skill level.
Yuichi Mori, a professor at Oslo University Hospital in Norway, noted on Dec. 12 (local time) that using AI-assisted colonoscopy could result in a 20% reduction in the skill level of medical personnel, as reported in the medical journal The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology.
Colonoscopy examines the colon mucosa for polyps. Adenomas are polyps that have a higher potential to become colorectal cancer. In other words, adenomas are a precursor to colorectal cancer. The research team investigated changes in doctors' adenoma detection rates after the introduction of AI.
Nineteen endoscopists with over 2,000 procedures participated in the study from four endoscopy centers in Poland. Each center introduced AI-assisted tools at the end of 2021 and randomly assigned whether to use AI for each colonoscopy performed subsequently. The research team evaluated the comparison over a three-month period before and after the introduction of AI.
Analysis of 1,443 colonoscopies conducted without AI revealed that during the three months prior to the introduction of AI, adenomas were detected in approximately 28 out of every 100 cases (28.4%). Conversely, only 22 out of every 100 cases (22.4%) were detected in the three months following the introduction of AI, indicating a 20% reduction in detection rates. In tests assisted by AI, adenomas were detected in about 25 out of every 100 cases (25%).
Colonoscopy is a critical examination for preventing cancer by identifying and removing polyps, which are the seeds of colorectal cancer. However, the accuracy of the examination varies depending on the skill of the practitioner.
Although several studies have reported that medical AI increases polyp detection rates, this study is the first to confirm that the continuous use of AI diagnostic tools could negatively impact the independent detection abilities of skilled medical personnel.
Marcin Romańczyk, a physician at H-T. Medical Center in Poland, stated, "This is the first study to suggest that regular use of AI negatively affects medical personnel's ability to perform core patient-related tasks," adding, "In a rapidly spreading scenario of AI adoption, this is a concerning outcome."
However, the research team noted that due to the observational nature of the study, they could not exclude the influence of other factors aside from the AI introduction and that it is difficult to generalize the results to all medical personnel since only skilled endoscopists were studied. They pointed out that less experienced medical personnel might be affected more significantly in their examination abilities when using AI over a prolonged period.
Omer Ahmad, a physician at University College London (UCL), remarked, "This study shows the need to temper excessive expectations for the rapid implementation of AI technology," adding, "While AI has great potential to improve clinical outcomes, we must prevent the gradual decline of the fundamental skills necessary for high-quality endoscopy."
This study was supported by the European Commission, the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, and the Italian Association for Cancer Research.
References
The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology (2025), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S2468-1253(25)00133-5