Artificial Intelligence: The Prevalent Coauthor Among Early-Career Surgeons

Area of Science:

• Medical research
• Surgical innovation
• Artificial intelligence applications

Background:

• Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly integrated into medical research.
• The utilization of AI tools by early-career surgeons in research is not well-understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the frequency and applications of AI tools in medical research among early-career surgeons.
• To assess their perceptions, concerns, and outlook regarding AI in research.

Main Methods:

• A 25-question survey was distributed to early-career spine surgeons (<10 years of experience).
• The survey collected data on demographics, AI tool usage, AI training access, and perceptions of AI in research.

Main Results:

• 86.7% of 60 participants use AI tools, with ChatGPT being the most common (93.1%).
• Primary uses include proofreading (69.6%) and rephrasing (64.3%); 26.8% use AI for statistical analysis.
• 80.4% noted efficiency benefits, while 70.0% raised reliability concerns; no participants had formal AI training.

Conclusions:

• AI tools are prevalent in early-career surgeons' research for tasks from text generation to data analysis.
• The lack of formal training and concerns about AI reliability emphasize the need for structured AI education.
• This study highlights the urgent need for AI training programs to support responsible AI integration in medical research.