Basics of AI in Surgical Practice and the Role of AI in Decision-Making for Risk Assessment and Clinical Decision Support

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a disruptive Industry 4.0 technology affecting several fields, including surgery. Leveraging AI-empowered tools, surgeons can now make more informed decisions, enhance risk assessment, and provide better clinical outcomes for their patients. A variety of AI applications impact the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative surgical phases, especially in risk prediction and clinical decision-making support. AI can represent a valuable aid in challenging surgical contexts, including trauma and emergency. The World Society of Emergency Surgery, as one of the field’s major scientific societies, endorsed several studies to understand the impact of AI in supporting clinical decision-making. Despite the great potential, results highlight how part of the international surgical community is still skeptical about the use of such a technology. The degree of technology acceptance appears still low. More studies and best practices are needed to increase knowledge, align skills, and resolve the existing ethical dilemmas.