Artificial intelligence is playing a bigger role in healthcare than ever before — and it’s evolving rapidly.
In the early 2000s, AI in healthcare was primarily limited to administrative tasks and basic data analysis. Over time, advances in machine learning — and more recently, the rise of generative AI — have significantly broadened its applications.
ChatGPT’s public debut on Nov. 30, 2022, marked a turning point. By 2023, health systems such as Nashville, Tenn.-based Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Palo Alto, Calif.-based Stanford Health Care began testing the technology.
By early 2024, an estimated 70% of U.S. healthcare organizations were exploring or using generative AI in both clinical and administrative areas, according to a report from McKinsey.
This number continued to increase.
A 2025 report from Accenture found that while 83% of healthcare executives were piloting generative AI, fewer than 10% had the infrastructure needed for enterprisewide deployment. The report also highlighted top anticipated benefits: improving employee efficiency (83%) and boosting revenue growth (82%).
Despite the momentum, widespread AI adoption faces several hurdles. Industry leaders emphasize the need to close infrastructure gaps, address workforce readiness and resolve ongoing concerns about data privacy and patient safety.
