Can Contemporary Large Language Models Provide the Domain Knowledge Needed for Causal Inference? Evaluating Automated Causal Graph Discovery Through an ASCVD Case Study

While the findings suggest that LLMs have a baseline capacity to generate DAGs that adhere to basic epidemiological conventions, we also found several limitations including lack of justification, systematic omission of race, and frequent source hallucination, highlighting the need for human oversight and expertise. We conclude that contemporary LLMs cannot replace a domain expert's judgment but may serve as a brainstorming or pre-analysis tool for DAG development when guided by well-engineered prompts.