Artificial Intelligence in Orthopedic Surgery: A Practical Overview of Current Applications and Trends

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming orthopedic surgery through diagnostics, treatment planning, and postoperative care advancements. This review introduces AI’s current applications, including convolutional neural networks (CNN) for imaging analysis and machine learning (ML) models for predictive assessments. By introducing specific emerging AI technologies and offering insight into their functionality in clinical settings, the review aims to give orthopaedic surgeons an idea of how such tools could enhance their practice. Additionally, the review analyzes the challenges hindering broader AI adoption, including concerns over data privacy, algorithmic bias, and integration into existing clinical workflows. By providing an overview of AI’s practical applications and potential barriers, the review equips orthopedic surgeons with a foundational understanding of the technology’s role and its implications for future practice.