Explainable AI and public reactions to AI-involved adverse diagnostic events: a vignette study.

As AI becomes more involved in diagnosis, questions remain about who is responsible when diagnostic harm occurs. In a study of 652 adults in the US and UK, participants reviewed a scenario involving a delayed diagnosis. People assigned less responsibility when AI acted alone than when physicians were involved. Public expectations consistently placed responsibility on clinicians, even when AI contributed to decision-making. Providing explanations of how AI reached its conclusions did not substantially change views about physician accountability after adverse events.