A.I. Chatbots Defeated Doctors at Diagnosing Illness

November 18, 2024

A physician writing on a clipboard

(New York Times) – A small study found ChatGPT outdid human physicians when assessing medical case histories, even when those doctors were using a chatbot.

The chatbot, from the company OpenAI, scored an average of 90 percent when diagnosing a medical condition from a case report and explaining its reasoning. Doctors randomly assigned to use the chatbot got an average score of 76 percent. Those randomly assigned not to use it had an average score of 74 percent.

The study showed more than just the chatbot’s superior performance.

It unveiled doctors’ sometimes unwavering belief in a diagnosis they made, even when a chatbot potentially suggests a better one. (Read More)