Zhang Wenhong, head of the Center for Infectious Diseases with the Shanghai-based Huashan Hospital of Fudan University, speaks at a forum co-hosted by Global Academy of Science and Arts (GASA) and various global scientific organizations in Hong Kong. Photo: chinanews.com

Chinese infectious disease expert Zhang Wenhong reportedly opposes the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into hospital medical record systems — on the grounds that physicians should continue honing their professional diagnostic skills. His remarks sparked online discussions after the topic trended on Chinese social media on Tuesday.

Zhang, head of the Center for Infectious Diseases with the Shanghai-based Huashan Hospital of Fudan University, said on Saturday at a forum co-hosted by Global Academy of Science and Arts (GASA) and various global scientific organizations in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, that he uses AI in his work. He has to manage a huge, complex caseload in a short time, so he uses AI do an initial review first — but he can instantly tell where AI has gone wrong with a quick check.

Zhang headed a medical team in Shanghai during the fight against COVID-19 and rose to fame with concise, clear and straightforward way to talk about patient treatment and epidemic assessment.

"Whether AI misleads you or not hinges on whether your competence surpasses that of AI. AI is prone to errors because human conditions are infinitely varied, while the data it relies on is limited. I oppose integrating AI into the daily practice of physicians at this moment," Zhang said, according to a video clip released by chinanews.com on Tuesday.

Zhang went on saying that the biggest problem with using AI is that it could completely alter doctors' professional training. Without systematic training, physicians would be incapable to distinguish between AI's correct and incorrect assessments, according to the video.

On Tuesday, the topic "Zhang opposes integrating AI into hospital medical record systems" trended on China's Sina Weibo platform, with some netizens echoing concerns while others argue AI's necessary role in clinical settings.

Some netizens expressed agreement with Zhang's stance, noting that physicians must first develop their own independent judgment — AI can serve as an auxiliary tool, but should never be completely relied on. They further questioned who would take responsibility if AI-generated medical advice or assessments led to errors.

One netizen said on Weibo that Zhang's opposition is not a rejection of technology in itself, but a warning of risks... His concern is the development trajectory of young doctors.

According to the Weibo user, if AI were to fully take over medical record generation, young doctors would skip the process of symptoms-data checks-diagnosis, gradually losing the ability to distinguish between AI's correct and incorrect outputs, and eventually be reduced to "AI operators." 

The AI medical record system can relieve large amount of paperwork, but its 'black box induction' is intractable and it is prone to neglection of individual differences, planting the seeds of misdiagnosis ," the netizen added.

However, some netizens disagree with Zhang. A doctor argued online that the process of writing medical records should not be defined as a "learning process," and that any AI system integrated into hospital medical record systems must first comply with national regulations.

Others have also argued that young practitioners don't need to rigidly replicate the experiences of their predecessors; mastering new technologies is the key to taking their professional capabilities to the next level.

The core of the discussions lies in how to assess a new technology that comes with visible benefits as well as unclear risks, and in health scenarios, striking a balance between efficiency, accuracy and the temperature of care, observers said. 

In 2025, China's National Health Commission and other relevant departments issued a set of guidelines to promote the application of AI tools to improve the quality of healthcare service, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

Global Times