Artificial intelligence in rheumatology and paediatric rheumatology: insights from an international survey by EMEUNET.

OBJECTIVES

Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionising medicine. The aim of this study was to detail its use, opinions, knowledge, and concerns in rheumatology and paediatric rheumatology.

METHODS

A web-based survey open to all professionals working in the field was developed by the Emerging EULAR Network (EMEUNET) and disseminated between March and July 2025 in collaboration with other international rheumatology societies (AFLAR, ArLAR, CARRA, PAFLAR, PANLAR). The survey was divided into 4 sections: (i) participants' characteristics, (ii) AI use and applications, (iii) opinions and knowledge, and (iv) concerns, needs, and expectations.

RESULTS

Overall, 461 responses were collected from 59 countries. Respondents were mostly physicians who completed their training (316, 68.7%) and were based in Europe (170, 36.9%). Most participants (397, 86.7%) used AI for medical purposes, especially large language models (385, 83.7%) for grammar correction and brainstorming. Although there was broad optimism about its use (366, 79.6%), self-reported practical skills were predominantly basic or still in development (346, 75.1%), and knowledge was rarely defined as strong or expert-level (63, 13.7%). Concerns focused on ethics (314, 69%), lack of trust (316, 69.5%), and insufficient training (270, 59.3%). Disparities emerged across geographic regions in use, knowledge, and practical skills.

CONCLUSIONS

AI is widely used and positively perceived in rheumatology, despite limited knowledge and practical skills, and regional disparities. Addressing gaps in ethics, transparency, and insufficient training through targeted education and implementation strategies will be essential to ensure an equitable and effective integration into clinical and research practice.