“In essence, dependence on AI detection could dull human pattern recognition,” Ahmad says. He adds that regular use of AI could also “reduce diagnostic confidence” when AI assistance is withdrawn, or that the endoscopists’ skill of manoeuvring the colonoscope could be reduced.

Artificial intelligence, touted for its potential to transform medicine, led to some doctors losing skills after just a few months in a new study.

Artificial intelligence tools have been shown to help doctors detect pre-cancerous growths in the colon—but don’t even think about taking those tools away once you’ve introduced them. A new study published this week in The Lancet found that doctors who are given AI tools to assist with identifying potential cancer risks in patients get worse at making those same observations when they go back to doing it without AI’s help.