AUTHOR=Alblewi Sawsan 
  
TITLE=Physicians’ attitudes and perceptions toward the integration of artificial intelligence into pediatric hematology–oncology in Saudi Arabia
  
JOURNAL=Frontiers in Medicine
  
VOLUME=Volume 13 - 2026
  
YEAR=2026
  
URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/medicine/articles/10.3389/fmed.2026.1820831
  
DOI=10.3389/fmed.2026.1820831
  
ISSN=2296-858X
  
ABSTRACT=BackgroundWith increasing interest in integrating artificialPrevalence of nasal myiasis in slaughtered camels intelligence (AI) into healthcare in Saudi Arabia, many benefits of using AI for data analysis, pattern recognition, and early disease detection are being recognized by many physicians practicing pediatric hematology–oncology in the country. However, there are concerns regarding AI’s limitations, ethical issues, and potential job displacement. This study aimed to explore the attitudes and perceptions of physicians practicing pediatric hematology–oncology in Saudi Arabia toward the use of AI.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, and included 132 medical doctors. An online questionnaire comprising several structured questions was used for data collection.ResultsThis study found that 74.2% of physicians had a positive view of the integration of AI into their clinical practice. Physicians’ professional title (p = 0.011) and years of work experience (p = 0.019) were significantly related to their views. The main advantages of using AI, as reported by 74.2% of participating physicians, included efficiency, accuracy, and cost-effectiveness. Other advantages and disadvantages were mentioned by 12.1 and 71.9% of participants, respectively. The main challenges identified were privacy, interpretability, and ethical concerns. However, 56.8% of the participating physicians believed that human physicians should remain the primary decision-makers regarding patient treatment when using AI. The majority of the participating physicians recognized the potential of AI in the diagnosis and treatment of patients.ConclusionAttitudes toward AI among pediatric hematology–oncology physicians are overwhelmingly positive, as they recognize AI’s potential to be an efficient and accurate tool in clinical practice. The vast majority of these physicians consider AI to be a complement to human capabilities and emphasize the need for physicians to oversee AI-assisted clinical decisions.