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TruaceTracing the truth around AIWednesday, September 23, 2026
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Health·P Space·Evidence-backed problem·Published 2026-09-23

Agentic AI, medical morality and the transformation of the patient-physician relationship

Abstract: Agentic artificial intelligence (AI) is an emerging development in the digital transformation of healthcare. Unlike conventional generative AI, agentic AI systems can perform autonomous, goal-directed actions and coordinate complex tasks. They promise to support or even collaborate with clinicians and patients in increasingly independent ways. While agentic AI raises familiar moral concerns regarding safety, accountability and bias, this article focuses on a less explored dimension: its capacity to transform the…

TRV-2026-1178Peer-reviewedPermanent record — cite & verify
Agentic AI, medical morality and the transformation of the patient-physician relationship

Hospital Universitari Doctor Peset, València 11 by 19Tarrestnom65. CC BY-SA 4.0 · https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

The quick read

Agentic artificial intelligence (AI) is an emerging development in the digital transformation of healthcare. Unlike conventional generative AI, agentic AI systems can perform autonomous, goal-directed actions and coordinate complex tasks.

While agentic AI raises familiar moral concerns regarding safety, accountability and bias, this article focuses on a less explored dimension: its capacity to transform the moral fabric of healthcare itself. Drawing on the framework of techno-moral change and the three domains of decision, relation and perception, we investigate how agentic AI might reshape the patient-physician relationship and reconfigure core concepts of medical morality.

Main points
  • Agentic artificial intelligence (AI) is an emerging development in the digital transformation of healthcare.
  • Unlike conventional generative AI, agentic AI systems can perform autonomous, goal-directed actions and coordinate complex tasks.
  • They promise to support or even collaborate with clinicians and patients in increasingly independent ways.
Problem

While agentic AI raises familiar moral concerns regarding safety, accountability and bias, this article focuses on a less explored dimension: its capacity to transform the moral fabric of healthcare itself.

The rundown

They promise to support or even collaborate with clinicians and patients in increasingly independent ways. While agentic AI raises familiar moral concerns regarding safety, accountability and bias, this article focuses on a less explored dimension: its capacity to transform the moral fabric of healthcare itself.

Sources

Reader signal

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The debate