Study: AI chatbots rival doctors in accuracy for back pain advice

A new study reveals that artificial intelligence chatbots, such as ChatGPT, may be almost as effective as consulting a doctor for advice on low back pain.

Conducted by an international team, the research sheds light on the potential of AI in addressing one of the world’s leading causes of disability.

Associate Professor Bruno Tirotti Saragiotto, research co-author and Head of Physiotherapy at The University of Technology Sydney (UTS), said the study intended to evaluate how effectively AI chatbots like ChatGPT answer common questions posed by individuals experiencing low back pain.

The study, Assessing the performance of AI chatbots in answering patients’ common questions about low back pain, was recently published in the journal Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.

Low back pain affects millions globally, often prompting sufferers to seek information online.

As AI-powered chatbots become increasingly common in offering health recommendations, understanding the accuracy of their recommendations is important.

The research found that AI chatbots excelled in answering questions related to suggested treatment and self-management, while risk factors had the most inaccuracies.

However, the study also showed that AI chatbots provided inaccurate recommendations to other commonly asked questions. For example, while poor posture does not cause low back pain, AI chatbots said that it does 88% of the time.

Another key observation was the ability of AI chatbots to recognise situations requiring medical referrals.

In cases where professional care should be recommended, the AI systems advised users to consult a healthcare provider in 70-100% of instances.