Critical thinking, not reliance on AI, will protect against de-skilling: Elsevier's Jan Herzhoff

The concerns of de-skilling due to the use of artificial intelligence can be addressed when critical thinking is combined with expanding knowledge base, instead of solely relying on AI's response, says Jan Herzhoff, president of global health businesses at the Dutch academic publisher Elsevier. Herzhoff, who was attending the India AI Impact Summit 2026 from February 16-20, reflected on a 2025 study in The Lancet Gastroenterology and Hepatology journal and said that de-skilling happens when clinicians don't apply critical thinking and rely on "that little answer chunk" before moving to the next patient. The study found that the rate at which experienced health professionals could detect benign tumours in colonoscopies without using AI fell by 20 per cent three months after starting to rely on AI for assistance.

Jan Herzhoff, who was attending the India AI Impact Summit 2026 from February 16-20, reflected on a 2025 study in The Lancet Gastroenterology and Hepatology journal and said that de-skilling happens when clinicians don't apply critical thinking and rely on "that little answer chunk" before moving to the next patient. (Source: The Economic Times, India) Read the full article to explore how balancing AI with critical thinking can safeguard clinical expertise and improve patient outcomes.