Artificial intelligence (AI), the metaverse and remote learning: simplifications or illusions?

A surgeon’s life is one of constant application of the mind. Monitoring patients’ postoperative course, constantly pondering and reviewing surgical steps in an effort to achieve better results, learning ever-new methodologies and techniques, and, in some cases, scientifically processing results: these are just some of the mental “tasks” that a surgeon is required to perform. And when we add, to these, the production of rigorous scientific literature, teaching and academic roles, and commitments with scientific societies, then it becomes clear that any time left over is truly precious, precisely and mainly because it is so limited. The natural inclination and approach of any surgeon should always be to try to make complex things simple. Woe betide anyone who thinks differently! Therefore, the advent of new technologies, able to relieve us of some of the burden of our daily work, is regarded, as it is in many professions, as a great help and source of support. But in our line of work, is technology always so beneficial? Can AI, for example, truly assimilate the value of surgical experience and use it to produce valuable scientific articles? Will our own personal metaverse icons and various avatars be credible if/when they are required to interact with patients in a consultation setting, say? Will it ever be possible to fully learn surgical anatomy virtually? …