Warsaw, Poland (Enmaeya News) — A new study suggests that doctors may become overly reliant on artificial intelligence (AI), potentially reducing their ability to spot medical abnormalities on their own.

Researchers studying gastroenterologists in Poland found that after a short period of using an AI-assisted colonoscopy system, doctors were about 20% less effective at detecting polyps and other irregularities when the AI was turned off.

Detection rates dropped from 28.4% to 22.4%, raising questions about whether reliance on AI could unintentionally erode critical diagnostic skills.

The AI system, trialed in four clinics, analyzes video from colonoscopies in real time and highlights areas of concern with a green box on the screen. “We are subconsciously waiting for the green box to appear, and we’re not paying as much attention,” said Dr. Marcin Romańczyk, the study’s lead author and a gastroenterologist at H-T Medical Center in Tychy.

The findings, published in Lancet Gastroenterology and Hepatology, underscore the growing presence of AI in routine medical screenings, including eye exams, mammograms, and breast cancer imaging. Romańczyk emphasized that while AI aids detection, its impact on human skill remains under-studied. “We have AI systems available, but we don’t have the data on how they change doctors’ work,” he said.

Not all experts are convinced the study proves a loss of skill. Johan Hulleman, a researcher at Manchester University, noted that three months is a short period to diminish decades of experience. He also suggested that statistical variations, such as patient age or polyp prevalence, might explain the apparent decline.

Previous research has shown similar effects, with nonexperts performing worse on mammograms when relying on AI. Romańczyk and colleagues call for further studies to examine how AI interacts with human expertise in real-world clinical settings.

“As AI spreads, doctors must learn to integrate it without letting it replace their judgment,” Romańczyk said.