Is orthopaedics entering the age of generative AI?—A narrative review of current applications, challenges, and future directions

Comprehensive Summary

This study explored the application and integration of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the future of orthopedic care. Using over 60 references, the future of AI-fused orthopedics was summarized through potential applications, considerations, implementations, and limitations. The article outlines the clinical transition from AI discriminative models for classifying data into AI generative models capable of creating data. It also highlights some of the most prominent applications, such as automated documentation, enhanced patient-provider communication, advanced procedural planning, and improved interpretation of complex imaging data. Despite these promising opportunities, the actual implementation remains limited due to the regulatory uncertainties and lack of sufficient validation.

Outcomes and Implications

This research offers providers a glimpse into the future of clinical care and medical application. In addition, it provides a non-biased outlook on the trends of medicine, specifically orthopedics. The integration of AI has the potential to reduce the cost of medicine, increase workplace efficiency, and raise the quality of care. Although the authors describe the current implementation of AI into orthopedics as just the beginning, and suggest that merging technologies will mature and converge in the "coming years,” the authors never explicitly comment on a clinical timeline.