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Elsevier’s Clinician of the Future 2026 report, released on International Nurses Day, identifies uneven adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) across clinician groups, with nurses reporting limited involvement in both usage and decision‑making. The findings are presented in the inaugural Clinician of the Future 2026: Nurses Edition.

The global survey, now in its fifth year, gathered responses from 2,757 clinicians across 118 countries, including physicians and nurses. Results indicate that while clinicians are increasingly turning to AI, implementation remains inconsistent and many feel excluded from the process. Respondents noted an over‑reliance on general AI tools that lack evidence‑based validation, rather than clinical‑specific solutions.

Key Findings:

• Representation gap: 41% of nurses said their views are rarely or never reflected in AI decision‑making, compared with 19% of physicians.
• Time constraints: 61% reported seeing more patients, while 56% struggled to keep pace with medical and technological advances.
• Complexity of cases: 53% of those lacking sufficient time cited rising patient complexity, an area where clinical‑specific AI tools could provide support.
• AI usage: 49% of clinicians reported using AI at work (up 23 percentage points since 2024), but only a third of that group regularly used validated, clinical‑specific tools.
• Training and governance: 68% reported insufficient AI training, and 60% expressed concerns about governance and oversight.

Jan Herzhoff, President of Elsevier Health, noted that clinicians see potential for AI to improve patient care and efficiency but emphasized that realizing this potential requires trusted, evidence‑based tools, proper training, and inclusive implementation across care teams.

The Nurses Edition highlights differences between physicians and nurses in AI adoption:

• Usage: 41% of nurses use AI regularly compared with 57% of physicians. Of these, 30% of nurses and 37% of physicians use clinician‑specific tools.
• Optimism: 61% of nurses believe AI will improve care quality within 5–10 years, compared with 55% of physicians. Similarly, 59% of nurses expect improved patient outcomes in 2–3 years, compared with 53% of physicians.
• Autonomy: 46% of nurses said AI enhances autonomy, compared with 37% of physicians.
• Perception of time savings: 55% of nurses, versus 70% of physicians, believe AI will save time in the next 2–3 years, a difference attributed to the lack of nurse‑specific tools.

Despite differences, both doctors and nurses agreed that AI will not replace clinicians but will serve as a critical assistant for point‑of‑care and decision support. More than 60% said transparent citations of peer‑reviewed research would increase trust in AI systems.

The Clinician of the Future 2026 findings underscore the need for evidence‑based AI tools developed for the entire care team. Inclusive adoption and training are seen as essential to advancing patient care with confidence.