A surgical approach to building impactful artificial intelligence.

Williams, Simon C; Khan, Danyal Z; Bano, Sophia; Blandford, Ann; Clarkson, Matthew J; Costanza, Enrico; Mazomenos, Evangelos B; Stoyanov, Danail et al. · NPJ Digit Med · 2025

editorial · Level V

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Abstract

Two recent studies in surgical AI video analysis show divergent outcomes based on user expertise and AI explainability. While both demonstrate improved accuracy with AI-assistance, differences in trust and transparency critically shaped impact. This commentary explores human-computer interaction factors such as trust, usability, and explainability, and argues for structured evaluation frameworks to ensure effective, safe integration of AI into surgical practice.