Integrating ChatGPT as a Tool in Pharmacy Practice: A Cross-Sectional Exploration Among Pharmacists in Saudi Arabia

Abdulrahman Alghitran,1 Hind M AlOsaimi,2 Ahmad Albuluwi,1 Emad Omar Almalki,3 Abdullah Zohair Aldowayan,3 Rakan Alharthi,3 Jawad Mohammed Qattan,3 Fahd Alghamdi,3 Mohammed AlHalabi,3 Nawaf Ayed Almalki,3 Abdulaziz Alharthi,3 Asma Alshammari,4 Muhammad Kanan5 1A General Administration of Pharmaceutical Care, Ministry of Health, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 2Department of Pharmacy Services Administration, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh Second Health Cluster, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 3College of Pharmacy, Taif University, Taif, 26513, Saudi Arabia; 4Department of Pharmaceutical Care, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 5Department of Pharmacy Services Administration, Rafha General Hospital, Northern Border Cluster, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Muhammad Kanan, Department of Pharmacy Services Administration, Rafha General Hospital, Northern Border Cluster, 76312, Saudi Arabia, Tel +966535534117, Email [email protected] Hind M AlOsaimi, Department of Pharmacy Services Administration, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh Second Health Cluster, Riyadh, 12211, Saudi Arabia, Email [email protected]: Artificial Intelligence (AI), especially ChatGPT, is rapidly assimilating into healthcare, providing significant advantages in pharmacy practice, such as improved clinical decision-making, patient counselling, and drug information management. The adoption of AI tools is heavily contingent upon pharmacy practitioners’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP). This study sought to evaluate the knowledge and practices of pharmacists in Saudi Arabia concerning the utilization of ChatGPT in their daily activities.Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed from May 2023 to July 2024 including pharmacists in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. An online pre-validated KAP questionnaire was disseminated, collecting data on demographics, knowledge, attitudes, and practices about ChatGPT. Descriptive statistics and regression analyses were conducted using SPSS.Results: Of 1022 respondents, 78.7% were familiar with AI in pharmacy, while 90.1% correctly identified ChatGPT as an advanced AI chatbot. Positive attitudes towards ChatGPT were reported by 64.1% of pharmacists, although only 24.3% used AI tools regularly. Significant predictors of positive attitudes and practices included academic/research roles (β=0.7, p=0.005) and 6– 10 years of experience (β=0.9, p=0.05). Ethical concerns were raised by 64% of respondents, and 92% reported a lack of formal training.Conclusion: While the majority of pharmacists held positive attitudes toward ChatGPT, practical implementation remains limited due to ethical concerns and inadequate training. Addressing these barriers is essential for successful AI integration in pharmacy, supporting Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 initiative.Keywords: artificial intelligence, healthcare, technology adoption, pharmaceutical care, survey study