When Dr. Hassan Bencheqroun first heard of patients going to AI for medical advice, he was unsurprised.

“The surprise to me, was that colleagues of mine, we have not learned from history and Dr. Google,” said Dr. Bencheqroun, a pulmonary and critial care physician. “[Patients] are not going to wait for permission.”

What’s important is transparency between doctor and patient and making sure that trust is the foundation, he said.

“Let’s meet them where they are,” said Dr. Bencheqroun. His speech goes: “You’re going to want to check AI. Bring me what it says and let’s discuss it together.”

But despite worries about how patients might abuse the technology, Dr. Bencheqroun does see a space for AI to flourish in healthcare.

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