Nearly half of Indian doctors surveyed were using artificial intelligence in their professional work, but general purpose AI tools remained more popular than platforms developed specifically for clinical use, according to Elsevier’s ‘Clinician of the Future 2026’ report. The findings have raised questions about the reliability of medical information generated by general AI tools and the need for clearer standards for their use in healthcare.
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The report, based on responses from 2,757 doctors and healthcare professionals across 118 countries, included 538 doctors from India. It found that 48% of Indian doctors were using AI. Among those surveyed, 54% reported using general AI tools, while 26% used specialised clinical AI platforms. The figures cannot be added together as some doctors used both categories. General AI tools have gained wider acceptance largely because they are readily available, relatively inexpensive and easy to operate without specialised training. Doctors are using them for tasks such as gathering information about diseases, searching medical literature, preparing clinical notes and obtaining information related to medicines.
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Clinical AI platforms, in contrast, are designed specifically for healthcare professionals and are generally built around medical journals, scientific research papers, clinical guidelines and verified medical databases. Such systems are intended to assist doctors with areas including diagnosis, medicines and treatment decisions. Their comparatively limited use has been linked to factors such as institutional subscriptions, licensing requirements and the need for specialised training. Experts have cautioned against treating responses from general AI systems as medically verified advice. Such tools can provide useful information, but their answers may draw on sources that are not clinically validated. In healthcare, where an inaccurate response can influence diagnosis or treatment, the distinction between convenience and clinical reliability becomes particularly important.
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The report also pointed to a regulatory gap in India. The National Medical Commission (NMC), Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Union health ministry have not, so far, issued separate guidelines governing doctors’ use of general AI and medical-specific AI platforms, according to the report. With AI increasingly becoming part of routine clinical work, experts say clear standards on verification, accountability and appropriate use will be important to ensure that technology assists medical professionals without compromising patient safety.
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