AI-powered tools in family medicine: Bridging technology and practice

To assess the perceptions, attitudes, and readiness of family physicians in Saudi Arabia toward the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in clinical practice and to identify factors influencing its use.

A cross-sectional, web-based survey was conducted between April and July 2025 among family medicine physicians across Saudi Arabia. A validated questionnaire captured demographic and professional characteristics, current and past AI use, perceived benefits and risks, factors influencing adoption, and preferred physician-AI collaboration models. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, bivariate tests, and multivariable logistic regression to identify independent predictors of AI use.

Of 400 invited physicians, 345 responded (response rate 86.3%). Overall, 45.8% reported using AI tools in the past year, most commonly ChatGPT (65.2%). AI use was more prevalent among physicians aged 25-34 years, those with ≤5 years of experience, Saudi nationals, residents, and those in tertiary hospitals. High awareness (70.2%) and willingness to learn (81.0%) were reported, with 81.6% supporting AI-related training. Key adoption drivers were reliability (80.4%), efficiency (70.3%), and ease of use (69.7%), while major barriers included lack of high-quality data (69.7%), inadequate algorithms (57.6%), and integration challenges (47.0%). Most respondents (76.5%) preferred a physician-led, AI-assisted model.

Family physicians in Saudi Arabia show good engagement with AI and strong interest in training, alongside concerns over reliability, data quality, and workflow integration. Adoption is shaped by age, experience, and workplace setting. Addressing these barriers through targeted education, robust governance, and codesigned integration strategies could enhance AI uptake in family medicine.