Acceptance of the Use of Artificial Intelligence in Medicine Among Japan’s Doctors and the Public: A Questionnaire Survey (Preprint)

Abstract

BACKGROUND The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the medical industry promises many benefits so AI has been introduced to medicine primarily in developed countries. In Japan, the government is preparing for the rollout of AI in the medical industry. This rollout depends on doctors and the public accepting the technology. It is therefore necessary to consider acceptance among doctors and among the public. However, little is known about the acceptance of AI in medicine. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to obtain detailed data on acceptance of AI in medicine by comparing the acceptance among Japanese doctors with that among the Japanese public. METHODS We conducted an online survey, and the responses of doctors and members of the public were compared. A questionnaire was prepared referred to the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology, a model of behavior toward new technologies. It comprises 20 items, and each item was rated on a five-point scale. Using this questionnaire, we conducted an online survey in 2018 among 399 doctors and 600 members of the public. The sample-wide responses were analyzed, and then the responses of the doctors were compared with those of the public using a Wilcoxon rank sum test. RESULTS Regarding the sample-wide responses (N=999), 653 (65.4%) of the respondents believed that AI would be necessary in medicine in the future, whereas only 447 (44.7%) expressed an intention to use AI-driven medicine. Additionally, 730 (73.1%) believed that regulatory legislation was necessary, and 734 (73.5%) were concerned about where accountability lies. Regarding the comparison between doctors and the public, doctors (median; 4, mean; 3.43) were more likely than members of the public(median; 3, mean; 3.23) to express intention to use AI-driven medicine (P<.001), suggesting that optimism about AI in medicine is greater among doctors compared with the public. CONCLUSIONS Many of the respondents were optimistic with the role of AI in medicine. However, when asked whether they would like to use AI-driven medicine, they tended to give a negative response. This trend suggests that concerns about the lack of regulation and about accountability hindered acceptance. Additionally, the results revealed that doctors were more enthusiastic than members of the public regarding AI-driven medicine.