Rethinking The Replacement of Physicians with AI

Abstract The application of AI in healthcare has dramatically changed the practice of medicine. In particular, AI has been implemented in a variety of roles that previously required human physicians. Due to AI's ability to outperform humans in these roles, the concern has been raised that AI will completely replace human physicians in the future. In this paper, it is argued that human physician's ability to embellish the truth is necessary to prevent injury or grief to patients, or to protect patients’ feelings. Such embellishments are usually defined as “white lies,” which not only include intentionally providing false, incomplete, or misleading information to patients, but also withholding information. White lies are not uncommon in medical practice, especially in some particular cultures, such as Asia; and to some particular patients, such as children. Here, white lies are defended based on the position of weak paternalism. And although medical AI may surpass human physicians in diagnostic accuracy, efficiency, and treatment, they cannot intentionally lie to patients, which is necessary to prevent injury or grief or to protect patients’ feelings in some cases. From this perspective, it is further argued that AI cannot completely replace human physicians.