Human versus AI in audiological practice: A comparative evaluation of ChatGPT and physician treatment decisions in idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly being applied in the field of audiology, demonstrating potential to support screening, diagnosis, and rehabilitation in auditory and vestibular disorders. However, its effectiveness in guiding complex therapeutic decisions-such as those for idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSNHL)-remains uncertain....

Findings are preliminary and do not yet justify substituting or formally integrating ChatGPT into clinical decision-making for sudden sensorineural hearing loss; audiologists should await further validation before changing practice.

As AI tools increasingly enter clinical workflows, rigorous head-to-head comparisons against physician judgment are needed to establish where — and whether — AI can safely support audiological decision-making.

1. 01PLoS One study directly compared ChatGPT recommendations to physician decisions in idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSNHL).
2. 02Evaluates alignment between AI outputs and established clinical guidelines for ISSNHL management.
3. 03Highlights both potential utility and limitations of large language models in audiology-adjacent clinical contexts.
4. 04Results have implications for AI-assisted triage and treatment planning in hearing healthcare.
5. 05Study is comparative/evaluative in design, not an interventional trial with patient outcomes.

PMID

42224219

DOI

10.1371/journal.pone.0350549.

Journal

PLOS ONE

Publication type

research_article

Evidence level

3

Population

Clinical cases of idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss managed by physicians, with AI-generated treatment recommendations as comparator

Intervention

ChatGPT-generated treatment recommendations for idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss

Comparator

Physician clinical treatment decisions for idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss