I'm a doctor, I use AI every day, but it will never replace my clinical judgment

Published 23 July 2026 · health

Editor’s Note: In this fortnightly column, top doctors share how they deal with their own health challenges, offering readers expert insight grounded in experience. Read

Editor’s Note: In this fortnightly column, top doctors share how they deal with their own health challenges, offering readers expert insight grounded in experience. Read more such stories here. When people hear that doctors are using artificial intelligence (AI), the first question they often ask is, "Will AI replace doctors?" My answer is simple: No. In fact, I believe we are asking the wrong question. Read Full Story The real question is: Can AI help doctors become better at what they do? From my experience, the answer is yes. As a paediatric pulmonologist, allergist, and sleep specialist, every day brings new challenges. I see children with asthma, allergies, chronic cough, sleep disorders, recurrent respiratory infections, and many other complex conditions. Every consultation is different because every child is different. Along with examining patients, I also spend time reviewing the latest medical research, updating treatment plans, preparing educational material for families, documenting consultations, and coordinating care with other specialists. Medicine today is evolving at an incredible pace. New studies are published almost every day. Clinical guidelines are frequently updated, and new therapies continue to emerge. Staying current is no longer optional; it is essential. But keeping up with all of this while also seeing patients can be challenging. This is where AI has become genuinely useful in my daily work. I don't use AI to diagnose diseases or decide on treatments. Instead, I use it as an intelligent assistant that helps me manage information more efficiently. For example, AI helps me summarise lengthy research papers, compare recommendations from different international guidelines, organise academic notes, prepare presentations, and draft patient education materials in language that parents can easily understand. It also helps improve documentation, making medical records clearer and more organised. These may sound like small tasks, but together they consume a significant part of a doctor's day.

When AI helps reduce that administrative burden, I gain something much more valuable: time. Time to listen more carefully to worried parents Time to explain a diagnosis without rushing Time to answer questions that families may hesitate to ask Time to reassure a child who is frightened before an examination For me, these conversations are just as important as prescribing the right medicine. Parents rarely come to my clinic looking only for a prescription. They come looking for reassurance, clarity, and confidence. They want someone who will listen to their concerns, understand their child's condition, and guide them through what can often be a stressful experience. No artificial intelligence can replace those human interactions. Medicine has never been only about science. It is also about trust. Every patient I see has a unique story. Two children may have similar symptoms but completely different medical histories, family situations, environmental exposures, emotional needs, and treatment goals. Understanding these differences requires experience, observation, communication, and empathy. A computer cannot notice the subtle signs that become apparent during a physical examination. It cannot observe how a child is breathing while walking into the consultation room It cannot recognise the anxiety in a parent's voice when they describe repeated hospital visits It cannot build a relationship with a family over months or years These are the moments that define good medical care, and they cannot be automated That is why I always remind patients that AI is a support tool, not a decision-maker Like every technology, AI also has limitations. Many people assume that because AI provides quick answers, those answers are always correct. Unfortunately, that is not true. AI systems can occasionally produce inaccurate information, misunderstand medical questions, or even generate responses that sound convincing despite being incorrect. In medicine, even small errors can have serious consequences.