Doctors issued warning over use of AI to take patients' notes

Doctors are warning that AI “ambient scribes” used to generate clinical notes may miss potentially vital information that comes through non-verbal cues. A review of 27 published papers by researchers at the University of Edinburgh, published in BMJ Digital Health and AI, found these systems capture only audio from consultations. Because they listen only to speech recognition and generative AI, they can’t reliably record gestures, facial expressions, movement, or vocal tone—leading the researchers to describe a “written language bias.” Experts also cautioned that patients might adapt their behavior around AI, and reduced trust could limit disclosure. The authors said the technology needs careful adaptation and a stronger evidence base before broader rollout.