Ethical risks of deviation of the culture of consumption of AI-associated services in medicine

Background: the integration of artificial intelligence technologies into the medical field is happening at a rapid pace, which certainly contributes to the qualitative growth of high-tech medical services. At the same time, the involvement of the consumer in the field of AI-associated medical services is not absolutely complementary to other areas of the market, since it concerns priority values – life and health. The purpose of the work is to predict the ethical risks of deviation of the culture of consumption of AI-associated services in medicine.

Materials and methods: A secondary analysis of the 2024 and 2025 VTsIOM sociological surveys was conducted. The sample included 1,700 respondents aged 18 and over, divided into generational groups: the “digital generation” (born after 2001), “younger millennials” (born 1992–2000), older millennials (born 1982–1991), the reform generation (born 1968–1981), the generation of stagnation (born 1948–1967), and the generation of the thaw (born before 1947). Results: The largest number of positive patient expectations is associated with the hope that AI will influence the reduction of medical errors (41.2 %). In second place are expectations of a positive impact on the security of personal data in medical services (33 %). The least positive expectations are related to the possibility of AI influence on doctor-patient relationships. Only 28 % of respondents believe that the situations «in personal relationships between patients and doctors” and with «doctors’ bias towards patients of different ages» will improve. The digital generation is positive about AI’s participation in diagnosing diseases and recommending treatment (48 % feel “comfortable” and “rather comfortable”), while about half of the respondents in the older age group (46 % of the “stagnation generation”) expressed disapproval: “rather uncomfortable” and “not comfortable”).

Conclusion: It is possible to assume that a new “AI-techie” model of doctor-patient relationships will emerge in the near future, and patients of the “digital” and “millennial” generations are ready for it. The conducted analysis allows us to predict the risks of deviations in the culture of consumption of medical services associated with artificial intelligence. Given the skepticism of respondents aged 55+, we can assume the tactics of avoiding this type of medical services by patients of older age groups.