Trust in Artificial Intelligence Physicians among Turkish Adults

Artificial intelligence has been used in the healthcare sector for an extended period, and recent advancements suggest that AI may replace human physicians in some cases. Patient trust in a physician is known to improve treatment outcomes; however, the degree of trust in AI physicians remains uncertain. Accordingly, the Trust in Physician Scale was used in this study to assess levels of trust in both human and AI physicians. In addition, five items were developed to examine factors that may either enhance or diminish trust in AI physicians. The results indicate that participants demonstrated greater trust in their own physicians regardless of the independent variables examined. With respect to AI physicians, individuals holding graduate degrees reported the lowest levels of trust. Responses further highlighted concerns regarding reliability, confidentiality, accountability, and accessibility as key factors influencing trust and distrust in AI physicians.