This presentation for the Orthopaedic Division of the Canadian Physiotherapy Association explored the implications of Generative AI (GenAI) in clinical physiotherapy practice, with a focus on its potential impact on patient care, clinical decision-making, and professional development. The presentation examined how tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and specialised systems like AMIE might transform healthcare delivery. The presentation also highlighted notable developments in AI’s diagnostic capabilities, showing that in some cases, AI systems perform comparably to, or better than, human clinicians in areas of diagnosis, empathy, and clinical reasoning.
I also explored the opportunities and challenges of AI in practice, including the potential for AI to improve diagnostic accuracy, administrative efficiency, and personalised patient care. It also highlighted concerns about de-skilling, privacy, and the changing dynamics of patient-clinician relationships. The presentation emphasised the importance of developing AI literacy among healthcare professionals and integrating AI education into physiotherapy curricula. It concluded by suggesting that the most effective approach may be a collaborative model where human expertise is augmented and supported by AI capabilities.