Let's say AI becomes embedded in every single healthcare process over the next ten years, how will this affect doctors? Obviously, the role of doctors will undergo a profound shift. But what does this actually mean? What will doctors be doing more of? And less of?

Doctors will be doing more of:

1. Building deeper connections with patients

Freed from the burden of documentation and administrative tasks, doctors will spend more time listening to patients, understanding their stories, and providing personalized care. This human connection, which has been eroded by technology, will return as a central focus of medicine. Doctors will become trusted guides, helping patients navigate their health with empathy and expertise.

2. Practicing at the top of their license

With AI handling routine decision-making (e.g., basic diagnostics, treatment pathways), doctors will focus on complex, nuanced cases that require human judgment, critical thinking, and creativity. They’ll lean into their expertise and experience to address gray areas where AI struggles—such as ethical dilemmas, rare conditions, or situations requiring a deep understanding of the patient’s context.

3. Educating and empowering patients

As decision-making becomes more streamlined, doctors will shift their focus toward patient education, helping individuals understand their conditions, treatment options, and how to engage in their own care. AI can provide data, but doctors will be the ones turning that data into meaningful, actionable advice that resonates with patients.

4. Leading teams and shaping healthcare systems

Doctors will increasingly take on leadership roles, using AI-driven insights to coordinate care, lead multidisciplinary teams, and improve workflows. Their expertise will shape not just patient care but also the systems and processes that deliver that care. With AI providing the data, doctors will focus on guiding teams, setting strategy, and improving outcomes.

5. Focusing on prevention and long-term care

AI will make it easier to predict and manage chronic diseases, allowing doctors to spend more time helping patients prevent health problems in the first place. By focusing on long-term wellness instead of episodic care, they’ll take a proactive role in improving population health.

Doctors will be doing less:

1. Documentation and note-taking

The days of typing endless notes into clunky EHR systems will be gone. AI will automatically capture and structure clinical data from conversations, tests, and diagnostics, freeing doctors from the grind of manual documentation.

2. Administrative and bureaucratic tasks

Doctors won’t be wasting hours navigating prior authorizations, coding visits, or chasing reimbursements. AI will handle these processes seamlessly, ensuring proper approvals and payments with minimal input from clinicians.

3. Routine diagnostics and treatment plans

Basic diagnostics, like identifying common illnesses or recommending standard treatments, will largely be handled by AI. This will allow doctors to focus on edge cases, complex conditions, and situations requiring creative problem-solving or ethical considerations.

4. Sifting through mountains of data

With AI synthesizing vast amounts of medical information and presenting key insights, doctors will no longer spend hours analyzing test results, reviewing charts, or hunting for relevant research. Instead, they’ll receive actionable summaries and recommendations that allow them to focus on decision-making.

5. Experiencing burnout from overwork

By automating the most tedious and soul-draining aspects of their jobs, AI will reduce burnout. Doctors will work more reasonable hours and feel more connected to their purpose in medicine, as they’re able to focus on patients and outcomes rather than battling a broken system.

The result: A more human-centered profession

As AI takes on repetitive, mundane tasks, doctors will return to the essence of what it means to be a physician: thinking critically, solving complex problems, and building meaningful relationships with their patients. The healthcare system will finally serve its people—both patients and clinicians—rather than drowning them in inefficiencies.