AI at the Bedside: An Argument for a Training Wheels Approach

Bedside use of artificial intelligence (AI) platforms is increasingly common. Busy clinicians may welcome these generative AI (Gen AI) tools, which have the potential to streamline many time-consuming tasks and aid in patient care. Trainees may find them useful to quickly evaluate complex medical information. Acceptance of bedside Gen AI tools by patients and their families, however, is less clear, and a definitive standard surrounding informed consent has yet to be established. Omission of certain types of information by Gen AI tools, including "small talk," which comprises an essential element of many pediatric clinical interactions, demands attention alongside the tendency of Gen AI tools to fabricate content. Medical students and resident physicians may be early adopters of Gen AI tools and may accept AI-generated statements at face value before having fully developed adequate knowledge and critical skills to independently evaluate their veracity. Despite these challenges, Gen AI tools in the clinical space are here to stay. Safe and effective incorporation of these tools in patient care and medical education must balance a wide range of considerations. In the following Ethics Rounds, stemming from a 2024 Pediatric Academic Society Bioethics Club Meeting session on the use of AI, the commentators draw on their diverse background as pediatric clinicians, bioethicists, and educators to explore these issues.