Comparison of AI applications and anesthesiologist's anesthesia method choices

Abstract

Background: In medicine, Artificial intelligence has begun to be utilized in nearly every domain, from medical devices to the interpretation of imaging studies. There is still a need for more experience and more studies related to the comprehensive use of AI in medicine. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the ability of AI to make decisions regarding anesthesia methods and to compare the most popular AI programs from this perspective. Methods: The study included orthopedic patients over 18 years of age scheduled for limb surgery within a 1-month period. Patients classified as ASA I-III who were evaluated in the anesthesia clinic during the preoperative period were included in the study. The anesthesia method preferred by the anesthesiologist during the operation and the patient’s demographic data, comorbidities, medications, and surgical history were recorded. The obtained patient data were discussed as if presenting a patient scenario using the free versions of the ChatGPT, Copilot, and Gemini applications by a different anesthesiologist who did not perform the operation. Results: Over the course of 1 month, a total of 72 patients were enrolled in the study. It was observed that both the anesthesia specialists and the Gemini application chose spinal anesthesia for the same patient in 68.5% of cases. This rate was higher compared to the other AI applications. For patients taking medication, it was observed that the Gemini application presented choices that were highly compatible (85.7%) with the anesthesiologists’ preferences. Conclusion: AI cannot fully master the guidelines and exceptional and specific cases that arrive in the course of medical treatment. Thus, we believe that AI can serve as a valuable assistant rather than replacing doctors.