Shadow AI and the Constraints on Health Care Institutions’ Ability to Adapt

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A qualitative study of 357 Swedish physicians identified Shadow AI use for clinical decision support, administrative work, research, and technological exploration.
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Physicians often accessed Shadow AI through personal devices and accounts, using tools such as ChatGPT to address institutional system deficiencies and reduce cognitive workload.
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Shadow AI use has expanded despite many tools lacking authorization as medical devices under the European Union Medical Device Regulation.
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The article notes that unsanctioned AI use can expose health systems to privacy and legal risks, including deployment of tools with unestablished clinical validity.
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The NHS Federated Data Platform was credited with operational improvements, but about 60,000 patients used the national data opt-out over approximately 4 months in mid-2026.

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