A review paper argues that autonomous artificial intelligence could outperform both doctors and doctor-AI partnerships in core clinical tasks by 2030, raising questions about the future role of physicians. Its authors contend that human involvement may sometimes worsen AI performance, while critics say such claims are premature and that medical care must remain led by clinicians.

The paper, coauthored by Penn medical ethicist Ezekiel Emanuel and investors linked to AI healthcare company Curai Health, reviewed studies published since 1 January 2024. It identifies history-taking, diagnosis, test selection, prescribing and chronic-disease management as areas where AI may excel, but the American Medical Association notes that some evidence comes from simulations and cites a 2026 Nature study finding patients often struggled to use large language models effectively in real cases.