In recent years, artificial intelligence has promised much — but often feels remote from the realities of day-to-day general practice. Can it really help? Or will it just add noise?
In our BJGP Open commentary, Dr. Stuart Stewart and I explored a concept we called “augmented consulting” — the idea that AI, used thoughtfully, can support clinicians rather than replace them.
We argue that the future of AI in primary care lies not in automation, but in augmentation: using digital tools to free up time, surface insights, and allow GPs to do what they do best — listen, understand, and respond.
For example, could real-time data support help identify red flags? Could natural language models help structure notes and reduce admin? Could personalised dashboards reduce cognitive overload?
These are exciting questions, but we must tread carefully. Clinical intuition, empathy, and human context are irreplaceable. So we need systems that elevate, not erode, those core values.
Augmented consulting doesn’t mean handing over decisions to machines. It means building systems that give us more time for patients, not less. And that’s the kind of digital future I want to see in general practice.