AI Enters Operating Room, Surgeons Stay in Control

Sanford Health surgeon Joshua Knudson weighs in on artificial intelligence's growing role in surgery as public trust remains mixed.

Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Artificial Intelligence

Photograph of an empty modern operating room with a robotic surgical arm folded above a steel-draped table under bright overhead light. — Sanford Health surgeon Joshua Knudson says AI in surgery is meant to assist human surgeons, not replace them, as public trust in the technology remains divided. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Would you feel comfortable with AI assisting your doctor during your own surgery?

Sanford Health surgeon Joshua Knudson commented on the use of AI in surgery, with doctors saying the technology is intended to assist human surgeons rather than replace them. Public attitudes remain divided on the question.

Why it matters

As AI tools move into clinical settings, patient comfort and confidence will shape how widely they are adopted. Surgeons argue that robotics and AI capabilities would need major advancements before they could perform procedures independently.

A nationwide Pew Research Center study found six out of ten Americans would feel uncomfortable with doctors relying on AI for personal care, while about 40% believe AI could reduce medical mistakes. The study does not resolve how comfort levels would change as the technology is used more widely.

The players

Joshua Knudson

Joshua Knudson is a surgeon with Sanford Health who commented on the role of AI in surgical care.

Sanford Health

Sanford Health is a health system based in the Upper Midwest that operates hospitals and clinics across the region.

The details

Knudson said robotics would need major advancements before AI could perform surgery, while noting that AI capable of driving cars could likely learn to operate. Doctors emphasize that AI in the operating room is meant to support human surgeons.

Pew Research Center study findings on public attitudes toward AI in medicine were reported from Bismarck, N.D.

Big Picture

Pew Research Center's nationwide survey found that six in ten Americans are uneasy about doctors relying on AI for personal care, placing the Sanford Health surgeon's comments within a documented public trust gap. The results suggest that clinical adoption of AI will depend as much on patient confidence as on technical readiness.

Patients who receive surgical care may increasingly encounter AI tools used to assist their surgeons, though the surgeons quoted say human doctors remain in charge. Readers weighing their own comfort with AI-assisted care can ask their providers how any such tools are being used.

The takeaway

AI in surgery is currently framed as a support tool for human surgeons, and patient comfort will be a deciding factor in how far it spreads. Patients can ask their care teams directly how AI is being used in their treatment.