JAMA+ AI Conversations Navigating Transparency and Trust With AI in Health Care
Aug 21, 2025
Michelle Mello, JD, PhD, MPhil, is a professor at Stanford University specializing in law and health policy. She discusses the ethical duty of healthcare organizations to disclose AI usage to patients. Mello emphasizes the current mistrust patients have regarding AI's role in their care. The conversation explores the complexities of consent and the necessity for transparent communication to enhance patient trust. Additionally, she advocates for involving patients in AI governance to create a more informed and engaged healthcare community.
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Patients View AI As Distinct
- Many clinicians don't see AI as fundamentally different from other decision supports, but legal and patient perspectives may differ.
- Michelle Mello argues patients currently view AI as materially different and that perception matters for disclosure.
Stanford Lab Faced Real Decisions
- Michelle Mello recounts that her Heal AI lab at Stanford must decide on disclosure for every new tool.
- They lacked a consistent framework, which motivated the JAMA Perspective.
Survey Evidence Shows Low Trust
- Surveys show high levels of discomfort and low trust among U.S. adults about physician reliance on AI.
- Michelle Mello uses this evidence to argue materiality should drive disclosure decisions.