Artificial Intelligence: BVA launches toolkit to help vets use this rapidly advancing technology and tackle client self-diagnosis

We've published a suite of practical resources to support members to use artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in the workplace effectively, safely and ethically. These include a guide to help you navigate the increasing use of AI by clients to make decisions about their animals’ health and welfare before bringing them into practice. 

The AI toolkit includes a practical, downloadable policy template that can be adapted to suit your own workplace, as well as a printable charter that sets out the practice’s clear commitments to responsible AI use. This is intended to be displayed in waiting rooms to give clients confidence in how the technology is being used.

To address the growing challenge for practices of clients using AI to manage their animals’ health and welfare, our toolkit includes helpful videos to guide you through the tricky conversations that can emerge when alternative diagnoses or interventions are being posed by vets that contradict AI. 

Artificial intelligence presents important and exciting opportunities for the veterinary profession, but it also comes with risk that needs to be carefully managed. With almost half of the vets in our Voice survey telling us that their workplace doesn’t have an AI policy at present, there is a clear need for practical support to ensure the foundations are in place to get this right from the start. Our adaptable policy template and AI charter are designed to help our members set clear, ethical expectations for AI use in their workplace and showcase a commitment to best practice.

Further findings from the Voice survey showed that when asked about client use of AI tools, vets in clinical practice estimated that around 1 in 7 clients (15%) are using AI technology in the care of their animals. The most commonly reported use was attempting to diagnose an animal’s health issue, mentioned by two-thirds of vets surveyed, followed by using AI to research treatment options, checking information provided by their vet, and deciding whether veterinary treatment was needed before making an appointment in the first place.

As we saw with Dr Google many years ago, our members are now also seeing many owners turn to AI for advice on their animals’ health and welfare. While this can be helpful in some cases, it also has the potential to cause confusion, misunderstanding and even welfare harms. We’re raising our concerns directly with the public through the mainstream and social media but our ‘How to talk to clients about AI’ videos offer tips on having these important discussions with your clients and help them interpret and contextualise the information they are being provided by AI.

The AI toolkit is exclusive to BVA members and can be downloaded at: https://www.bva.co.uk/resources-support/artificial-intelligence-resources/