Investigation of Artificial Intelligence Anxiety and Awareness Among Medical Residents

Aim: Nowadays, when medical specialization is being reshaped with artificial intelligence technologies, this study aimed to evaluate medical residents' concerns about artificial intelligence, their future anxiety about their professional roles, and their ethical considerations. Methods: The study is a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted with 259 medical residents at Adana City Training and Research Hospital in 2024. Sociodemographic information form, Artificial Intelligence Anxiety Scale were administered, and they were asked to identify articles with artificial intelligence-generated conclusion sections, and their predictions about the medical specialties that will be most affected by artificial intelligence in the future were recorded. The data were analyzed with SPSS 24.0 software. Results: The mean age of the participants was 29.98±4.45 years and 81.5% of them reported spending two or more hours per day on digital platforms. The mean score obtained from the Artificial Intelligence Anxiety Scale was 53.25±21.57. 67.9% of the participants reported having heard of ChatGPT, while only 16.6% indicated they were knowledgeable about artificial intelligence applications used in medicine. While 73.6% of the participants answered that radiology is the branch that will be most affected in the future, only 52.56% of the participants were able to recognize the article written by artificial intelligence. Conclusion: Concerns about artificial intelligence are particularly pronounced in data-driven specialties, so developing artificial intelligence-oriented curricula in medical education will help future physicians better understand and utilize these technologies effectively. Furthermore, improving doctors' digital and software skills will support the reliable use of artificial intelligence products. Keywords: artificial intelligence, anxiety, awareness, medical residency, medical education