DHN 2027

In 1950, Alan Turing posed the question of whether machines could think, laying the foundation for modern artificial intelligence (AI). For decades, AI applications in healthcare were largely confined to background functions such as logistics, predictive analytics, workflow optimisation, and decision support. Although these technologies enhanced healthcare delivery, they primarily served as tools to assist clinicians rather than replace them. The emergence of large language models and the public release of ChatGPT in 2022 marked a significant shift, bringing AI from back-office operations to direct interactions with patients, clinicians, and the public. As AI capabilities continue to advance and healthcare systems rapidly adopt AI-enabled solutions, an important question has emerged: will AI replace nurses within the next decade? This keynote argues that AI will significantly reshape nursing practice but is unlikely to replace the nursing profession. When thoughtfully designed and responsibly implemented, AI can complement and augment nursing roles by automating administrative tasks, reducing documentation burden, monitoring patient data in real time, and supporting clinical decision-making. These applications have the potential to improve efficiency, safety, and quality of care. However, AI also introduces risks, including hallucinations, bias, inaccuracies, and the potential misinterpretation of complex clinical and social situations. Nursing extends beyond technical tasks. It involves clinical reasoning, ethical judgement, communication, empathy, advocacy, leadership, and therapeutic relationships—capabilities deeply rooted in human experience and social interaction. The successful integration of AI into nursing therefore requires not only an AI-ready workforce with new digital competencies, but also careful socio-clinical-technical design, implementation, and governance. Over the next decade, AI will not replace nurses; rather, it will redefine and elevate the profession. The future of healthcare is not AI alone, but nurses and AI working together to deliver safer, more efficient, and higher-quality care.

Associate Professor Kwang Chien Yee is a gastroenterologist and Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Tasmania. He has authored more than 150 publications and is an internationally recognised speaker on digital health transformation. His research focuses on the socio-technical design, integration, and implementation of digital health technologies. In recent years, he has concentrated on the application of artificial intelligence in healthcare, examining its benefits, risks, and ethical implications, as well as how healthcare professionals can effectively leverage AI to enhance patient outcomes, healthcare delivery, and the quality of care.