The Empowerment of Consumers for Health: A Long Trend, Accelerated by AI
I recently published an editorial in American Family Physician titled “The Empowerment of Consumers for Health: AI Accelerates a Long-Standing Trend.” While headlines often frame artificial intelligence (AI) as either an existential threat to physicians or a helpful clinical assistant, I argue that both views miss the broader context: AI is the latest in a series of technologies that empower consumers to manage their own health—often without a doctor at all.
And this didn’t begin with ChatGPT. For decades, consumers have used online search engines, wearables, and over-the-counter medications to bypass the traditional gatekeepers of care. AI simply supercharges a longstanding trend: the democratization of health knowledge and decision-making.
“As with OTC drugs, the rise of AI represents another step toward empowering consumers to take control of their health decisions.”
What happens when free, always-on tools help patients adjust their insulin, distinguish between a cold and pneumonia, or monitor key metrics continuously rather than once a year? The answer isn’t a dystopian future without doctors—but it is a future where clinicians must reorient their value toward what cannot be automated.
In the piece, I encourage physicians to embrace AI, not fear it—to find new roles, contribute to the development of patient-centered tools, and show the unique value only human clinicians can provide.
If you’re a health leader, technologist, or clinician, I’d love to hear how you’re navigating this shift. The question is no longer whether change is coming—but whether doctors play the role of leader or observer.
🔗 Read the full article in American Family Physician: