Commentary & Perspectives

Did Medicine Lose Its Aura Before AI ?

From the clinical gaze to electronic health records, a JAMA essay traces the long technological arc that set the stage for AI in medicine.

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Bioethicist John Lantos, MD, in a new JAMA Perspective, explores how the professional 'aura' of medicine has eroded over time, predating the advent of artificial intelligence. He traces critical moments in medical history, including the shift to a focus on observable pathology in the 18th century, the introduction of anesthesia in the 19th century, and the rise of evidence-based medicine. Lantos contends that the arrival of AI technology did not initiate this transformation; rather, it refined an already evolving clinical practice. He highlights a pivotal question: how will the profession redefine clinical excellence as technology increasingly replicates physicians' skills?

Original Source(s)

Did Medicine Lose Its Aura Before AI ?

From the clinical gaze to electronic health records, a JAMA essay traces the long technological arc that set the stage for AI in medicine.

  • by Kerri Miller

  • March 5, 2026

  • 2 min

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