Presentation
Artificial Intelligence (AI) as 'Second Pair of Eyes': Surgeons' Perceptions of Gaze Guidance
DescriptionArtificial intelligence has the potential to support surgeons by enhancing their ability to perceive and prioritize visual information during surgery. However, there remains a need to understand how surgeons at different levels of expertise perceive the role of AI and what opportunities exist for AI to function as a supportive and complementary tool to the expert surgeon. The desired features and perspectives of surgeons should be incorporated into system design to ensure usability, trust, and safety in visual guidance. This consideration is also important because expert surgeons have advanced perceptual, cognitive, and procedural skills that current technologies cannot replace.
This study explored surgeons’ perceptions of AI for gaze guidance across levels of expertise to understand how such tools can meet surgeon needs while acknowledging their limitations. We hypothesized that attitudes toward AI and preferences for its application would differ between attendings and residents, reflecting differences in experience, training, and exposure to technology.
Seventy-one surgeons (38 attendings, 33 residents) watched a series of laparoscopic cholecystectomy clips. After viewing the videos, participants responded to open-ended questions about their perceptions of AI-assisted gaze guidance during surgical procedures and preferred features. Responses were analyzed using latent content analysis to identify themes and desired AI features. The connotation of each response was also categorized as positive, negative, or neutral to assess overall perception.
Overall, surgeons’ perceptions of AI were highly favorable. Attendings (92%) and residents (82%) were positive about the role of AI to support visual gaze guidance. Neutral responses (9.8%) reflected uncertainty or limited familiarity with AI. Desired AI features included directing attention, identification, highlighting and visualization, feedback, decision support, educational tools, communication and collaboration, and planning and mapping. Identification included the role of AI to support recognition of critical structures, abnormalities, gaps in attention, and spatial orientation.
Preferences for the AI features varied across levels of expertise. Attendings favored AI for decision support and feedback, while residents emphasized its value for visualization and as an educational tool. Across groups, surgeons described AI as a potential “second pair of eyes,” with features that support visual guidance, enhance visualization, provide user control, and facilitate education. Participants also share their vision for system design, emphasizing the importance of AI being “ambient” or “available on demand,” with parallels to a “blind spot monitor in a car.”
This study explored surgeons’ perceptions of AI for gaze guidance across levels of expertise to understand how such tools can meet surgeon needs while acknowledging their limitations. We hypothesized that attitudes toward AI and preferences for its application would differ between attendings and residents, reflecting differences in experience, training, and exposure to technology.
Seventy-one surgeons (38 attendings, 33 residents) watched a series of laparoscopic cholecystectomy clips. After viewing the videos, participants responded to open-ended questions about their perceptions of AI-assisted gaze guidance during surgical procedures and preferred features. Responses were analyzed using latent content analysis to identify themes and desired AI features. The connotation of each response was also categorized as positive, negative, or neutral to assess overall perception.
Overall, surgeons’ perceptions of AI were highly favorable. Attendings (92%) and residents (82%) were positive about the role of AI to support visual gaze guidance. Neutral responses (9.8%) reflected uncertainty or limited familiarity with AI. Desired AI features included directing attention, identification, highlighting and visualization, feedback, decision support, educational tools, communication and collaboration, and planning and mapping. Identification included the role of AI to support recognition of critical structures, abnormalities, gaps in attention, and spatial orientation.
Preferences for the AI features varied across levels of expertise. Attendings favored AI for decision support and feedback, while residents emphasized its value for visualization and as an educational tool. Across groups, surgeons described AI as a potential “second pair of eyes,” with features that support visual guidance, enhance visualization, provide user control, and facilitate education. Participants also share their vision for system design, emphasizing the importance of AI being “ambient” or “available on demand,” with parallels to a “blind spot monitor in a car.”
Event Type
Oral Presentations
TimeMonday, March 2311:00am - 11:30am EDT
LocationNassau
Digital Health