Objective:

To explore the attitudes and perceptions of physicians practicing pediatric hematology–oncology in Saudi Arabia toward the use of AI.

Approach:

• Study Design: A cross-sectional study conducted in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, involving 132 medical doctors through an online questionnaire.

Key Findings:

• 74.2% of physicians had a positive view of AI integration into clinical practice.
• Professional title and years of experience significantly influenced physicians' views (p = 0.011 and p = 0.019, respectively).
• Main advantages of AI included efficiency, accuracy, and cost-effectiveness, recognized by 74.2% of participants.
• Other advantages and disadvantages were mentioned by 12.1% and 71.9% of participants, respectively.
• Challenges identified included privacy, interpretability, and ethical concerns.
• 56.8% believed human physicians should remain the primary decision-makers when using AI.

Interpretation:

The majority of pediatric hematology–oncology physicians recognize AI's potential as an efficient and accurate tool in clinical practice, emphasizing the need for human oversight in AI-assisted decisions.

Limitations:

• The study was limited to physicians in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, which may not represent the views of all pediatric hematology–oncology physicians in the country.
• The sample size was based on convenience sampling, which may introduce bias.

Conclusion:

Attitudes toward AI among pediatric hematology–oncology physicians are overwhelmingly positive.