AI in Healthcare: Will Doctors Disappear or Adapt?

It’s no longer a distant sci-fi fantasy. The murmurings among doctors are growing louder: “Our days are numbered because of AI.” This isn’t about AI performing autonomous surgery (at least not yet), but something far more insidious and immediate: patients arriving armed with knowledge, asking questions that would make even a seasoned physician sweat. They’ve been talking to AI, and they’re ready to test their human doctor.

This new reality, where patients come in with “very granular and nuanced type of questions” and “way more knowledge,” is a game-changer. The days of simply dispensing information might be fading. Patients, powered by AI chatbots, are getting their “base information” for free, in seconds, on their phones. Now, the in-person visit is about the “next level of questions,” a subtle but potent probe into the doctor’s competence.

A doctor recently recounted being asked the incidence rate of retinal detachment in the United States. “1 in 10,000, I think,” they replied, feeling “in the hot seat.” The patient’s knowing “Yes, yes, that is what I read as well” confirmed the unspoken: the AI had already given the answer. This isn’t just about knowing facts; it’s about the perceived value of the human doctor when a machine can instantly provide data and even preliminary diagnoses.

This shift raises critical questions that demand our immediate attention.

Will Patients Become Baseline Doctors?

In a way, yes. AI is democratizing medical knowledge. Patients can now access vast amounts of information about their conditions, treatments, and even epidemiology, which was once the exclusive domain of medical professionals. Patients can upload their entire medical history, even that of their parents and grandparents, to AI systems to query historical illness data and project future health risks. This empowers patients to be more active participants in their healthcare journey, moving beyond passive recipients of information. They are, in essence, becoming more informed “co-pilots” of their own health.

However, this doesn’t mean they’ll become full-fledged doctors. The “baseline doctor” capability refers to informed questioning and initial understanding, not the deep diagnostic reasoning, clinical judgment, and hands-on examination that differentiate a human physician.

Doctors say, “Never Google your symptoms”.

This is a double-edged sword. Access to tons of medical data can be incredibly empowering, but it also carries risks:

Misinformation and Misinterpretation: AI, while powerful, can sometimes generate “plausible but factually incorrect outputs,” as observed with systems like DeepSeek AI in Chinese hospitals. Without a medical background, patients might misinterpret complex information or be misled by inaccurate AI responses, leading to anxiety, inappropriate self-treatment, or delayed proper care.
Data Privacy and Security: Uploading sensitive medical histories to AI systems raises significant concerns about data privacy and security. While companies are working on robust safeguards, the risk of data breaches and misuse remains a critical ethical consideration.
Lack of Context and Nuance: AI lacks the human ability to truly understand individual context, emotional states, and non-verbal cues that are vital for accurate diagnosis and treatment. A symptom described to AI might mean something entirely different to a doctor who can observe, ask follow-up questions, and connect seemingly unrelated dots.

Doctors are only humans. AI can keep digging!

Here’s where AI truly shines in a way that can be both helpful and humbling for human doctors: persistence. When doctors can’t find an answer, they might eventually give up, or refer to a specialist who might also eventually reach a dead end. Human doctors are limited by their individual experience, their training, and simply the sheer volume of information they can process. They can experience fatigue and cognitive biases.

AI, however, doesn’t get tired. It doesn’t get frustrated. It can process millions of data points in seconds and identify subtle patterns that human brains might miss. Studies have shown AI outperforming human doctors in diagnostic accuracy, especially in specific areas like interpreting medical images or identifying rare conditions by recognizing patterns across massive datasets. Microsoft’s AI Diagnostic Orchestrator (MAI-DxO), for example, has shown significantly higher accuracy in diagnosing complex cases compared to experienced physicians, and at a lower cost. AI can keep searching, cross-referencing, and analyzing until a potential solution or direction emerges. This doesn’t mean AI is always right, but it means it has a different, often more exhaustive, way of problem-solving that can complement human limitations.

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Will Doctors Still Be Needed?

Absolutely, but their role will evolve dramatically. The “future that is already upon us” with devices like Samsung watches reading sleep patterns, exercise, and heart rate, coupled with AI processing this data, suggests a shift towards proactive, personalized health management. Imagine your watch prompting you to schedule an appointment because Gemini, having analyzed your historical medical records and current vitals, identified a potential issue.

This doesn’t eliminate the need for doctors; it redefines it. Instead of being primary information providers, doctors will become:

Expert Interpreters and Synthesizers: They will sift through AI-generated insights, contextualize them for the individual patient, and provide the definitive diagnosis and treatment plan. They will be the bridge between complex AI data and human understanding.
Navigators of Complex Care: As medical information becomes even more vast, doctors will guide patients through complex treatment options, explain the nuances of AI-driven recommendations, and help them make informed decisions.
Skilled Practitioners: Procedures, surgeries, and intricate examinations will remain firmly in human hands.
Empathetic Healers: This is perhaps the most crucial role. AI systems currently lack the capacity for genuine compassion and empathy.

The Human Touch: Empathy When Breaking Bad News

Consider the moment a patient receives a cancer diagnosis. Can an AI system deliver that news with the necessary compassion, understanding, and emotional support? Current research and ethical discussions strongly suggest no. The human element of empathy, reassurance, and the ability to connect on a deeply emotional level is something AI cannot replicate. This “human touch” will become even more valued in an increasingly automated world, potentially strengthening the patient-physician bond in areas where AI cannot compete. As experts highlight, healthcare is about understanding fears, building trust, and guiding patients through vulnerable moments.

Will AI Reduce the Number of Doctors or Erode Specialties?

This is a complex question. While some routine tasks will undoubtedly be automated, leading to efficiency gains, a direct reduction in the overall number of doctors might not be the immediate outcome. Instead, it could lead to a reallocation of roles and a shift in demand for certain specialties.

Specialties at Higher Risk: Specialties heavily reliant on pattern recognition and image analysis, like radiology, pathology, dermatology, and ophthalmology (specifically retinal scan analysis), are already seeing significant AI integration. AI can quickly analyze images with high accuracy, assisting or even performing many routine reads. This doesn’t mean these specialists disappear, but their roles will evolve towards verifying AI outputs, handling complex cases, and developing new AI applications.
Specialties Less Vulnerable: Surgeons, primary care physicians (family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics), emergency medicine physicians, and psychiatrists are considered less vulnerable. Their roles require physical skill, nuanced decision-making, long-term patient relationships, and managing complex human emotions – areas where AI currently falls short.

It’s more likely that AI will augment doctors’ capabilities, allowing them to focus on higher-level cognitive tasks and patient interaction, rather than entirely replacing them. This could free up time for more personalized care, research, and complex problem-solving.

A Glimpse into the Future. Is China leading?

In June 2025, news from China about “AI hospitals” like Tsinghua University’s “Agent Hospital” where “virtual doctors” can “treat up to 3,000 patients a day” is certainly intriguing. These virtual doctors, driven by large language models, collaborate to diagnose and treat virtual patients. This project is geared towards enhancing medical training, allowing students to practice without fear of harm and prepare for various scenarios, including infectious disease outbreaks.

While some reports highlighted the rapid deployment of DeepSeek AI in over 300 Chinese hospitals, with warnings from researchers about “plausible but factually incorrect outputs” and “substantial clinical risk,” it underscores the need for careful, measured implementation and robust ethical frameworks. This is not about AI replacing human doctors wholesale in real-world settings yet, but rather exploring its potential for efficiency and training. The viral video of a Chinese doctor being corrected by a patient using DeepSeek AI, with the AI being correct about updated medical guidelines, further illustrates the power of AI to rapidly disseminate information and challenge existing knowledge.

Will AI Still Motivate People to Study Medicine?

This is a crucial long-term question. Medical school enrollment data from the US shows a new high of 99,562 students for 2024-2025, a 1.8% increase from the previous year, despite a decline in applicants for the third consecutive year post-COVID-19 surge. This suggests that the appeal of medicine remains strong. For comparison, in 2019-2020, there were 95,190 medical students enrolled, indicating a slight but consistent increase over the last five years.

However, the nature of medical education must adapt. Future doctors won’t just need to memorize facts; they’ll need to master critical thinking, data interpretation, AI literacy, and the art of human connection. Medical schools are already reimagining curricula to include data science, biostatistics, bioethical implications of AI, and how to effectively collaborate with AI tools.

The motivation to study medicine might shift from being the sole repository of knowledge to becoming expert diagnosticians, compassionate caregivers, and innovators who leverage technology to deliver better care. The prestige and impact of saving lives and improving health will continue to be powerful drivers.

Hospitals Embracing AI: Does Access to AI Mean Access to Human Doctors?

Hospitals worldwide, including those in Africa, are indeed pushing for telemedicine and AI integration. South Africa, Kenya, and Nigeria are leading in Sub-Saharan Africa, exploring solutions for remote diagnosis and teleconsultation to address healthcare access challenges in underserved populations.

However, access to AI does not automatically equate to access to human doctors. AI can expand reach and efficiency, especially in remote areas or for routine queries. But for complex cases, emergencies, or situations requiring a nuanced understanding of a patient’s social and emotional context, human doctors remain indispensable. The goal should be to use AI to bridge gaps and enhance human care, not replace it entirely.

Should patients keep probing their doctors? The Unintended Consequence.

The doctor’s concern about “eroding trust between physician and patient” is valid. If patients perceive doctors as less knowledgeable than their AI chatbots, or if they feel their doctor is being “probed” and “gauged,” it could strain an already fragile relationship. Trust is built on expertise, empathy, and perceived genuine care. If AI handles the “expertise” part, the human doctor’s differentiator becomes the “empathy” and personalized connection.

This highlights a critical need for doctors to embrace AI as a tool that enhances their capabilities, rather than fearing it. Physicians who can integrate AI insights seamlessly into their practice, explain complex information clearly, and provide the human warmth and reassurance that AI cannot, will solidify patient trust.

The Path Forward: Collaboration, Not Competition

The future of medicine isn’t about AI replacing doctors, but about doctors empowered by AI. This will require:

Adapting Medical Education: Training future physicians not just in anatomy and pharmacology, but also in data science, AI ethics, and human-AI collaboration.
Embracing Lifelong Learning: Doctors must continuously update their knowledge and skills, staying current with medical advancements and AI capabilities.
Focusing on Human-Centric Care: Emphasizing empathy, communication, and emotional intelligence, which are uniquely human attributes that AI cannot replicate.
Developing Ethical AI Frameworks: Ensuring AI in healthcare is developed and deployed responsibly, with strong safeguards for data privacy, bias mitigation, and transparency.

The fear that “our days are numbered” isn’t entirely unfounded if doctors resist this evolution. But for those who embrace AI as a powerful assistant, a tool to elevate their practice and focus on what truly makes them indispensable; the human connection and nuanced judgment – the days ahead will be filled with unprecedented opportunities to deliver better, more personalized, and more efficient healthcare.

By Femi Greaterheights Akinyomi

Key Takeaway: Artificial intelligence is moving routine medical knowledge to patients’ smartphones, pushing physicians to double down on empathy, complex decision-making, and hands-on care.

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AI in Healthcare: Will Doctors Disappear or Adapt?