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Artificial intelligence use among veterinary professionals more than doubles in 2 years

Gary Lloyd | Oct 06,26 | 01:40 EST

Technology

A new study found 83.7% of veterinary professionals now use artificial intelligence, with practices that have a clear strategy, governance, and redesigned workflows reporting the highest boost in business outcomes.

Measuring AI maturity The 2026 benchmark study, conducted by Digitail and the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), gathered 1730 self-reported responses from veterinary professionals across various roles and practice types in the US and Canada between July 27 and August 12, 2026. This survey built upon core measures from the 2024 Digitail-AAHA survey, which had 4031 respondents and was published in the American Journal of Veterinary Research. A key new component of this year's study was the Veterinary AI Maturity Index. This index evaluates practices on a scale from 1 (ad hoc, meaning AI use is disorganized and reactive) to 4 (advanced, indicating a mature and strategic approach to AI). It assesses six critical dimensions: strategy and intent, governance and oversight, vendor evaluation, workflow and technology integration, adoption depth, and capability and readiness. This framework was adapted from the well-regarded Healthcare AI Governance Readiness Assessment. The study found the average maturity score among veterinary practices to be 2.67 out of 4. Notably, 'capability and readiness' received the highest scores, suggesting that professionals feel capable of using AI. However, 'governance and oversight' scored the lowest, trailing other dimensions by more than a full point, indicating a significant area for improvement. The study clearly demonstrated a strong correlation between AI maturity and business outcomes: practices at level 1 reported an average of only 0.64 positive outcomes, whereas those at level 4 achieved an average of 4.05 positive outcomes. Furthermore, a substantial 70.9% of level 1 practices reported no measurable impact from their AI adoption, contrasting sharply with only about 11% at levels 3 and 4. Bill Voegeli, president of Association Insights, highlighted that the study aimed to identify what differentiates practices that see actual results from those that do not, focusing on the factors contributing to success. How practices are using AI The survey revealed that clinical documentation is the most prevalent application of AI among veterinary professionals, with 62.8% of AI users employing it for tasks such as AI scribes and generating SOAP (Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan) notes. Following clinical documentation, client communication emerged as another significant area of AI utilization. In contrast, more advanced diagnostic applications, including the interpretation of radiographs, laboratory results, and cytology samples, were reported as less common uses of AI within veterinary practices. On average, practices were found to be leveraging AI in 3.33 different operational areas. The study also identified several reported benefits stemming from AI adoption. A substantial 44.3% of practices experienced higher patient throughput, indicating improved efficiency in managing patient flow. Better client retention or satisfaction was reported by 32% of practices, suggesting that AI tools are helping to enhance client relationships and overall service quality. Additionally, 29.2% of practices noted the introduction of new or expanded digital services as a direct benefit of AI integration. Despite these positive outcomes, approximately 20% of the surveyed practices indicated that they had not yet observed any measurable impact from their AI initiatives, underscoring that while adoption is high, value realization can vary. Gaps in strategy and governance Despite the broad acceptance and increasing use of AI in veterinary medicine, the study identified critical deficiencies in strategic planning and governance. A significant majority, 65.2% of practices, integrated AI tools into their operations without making meaningful changes to their existing workflows. This suggests a reactive rather than proactive approach to AI implementation, potentially limiting its full potential. Furthermore, nearly half of all veterinary practices surveyed indicated that they either lacked a formal AI strategy or had not assigned a designated individual responsible for overseeing AI initiatives. This absence of clear leadership and direction can hinder effective deployment and monitoring of AI tools. Approximately one-third of practices reported having no governance supports in place. These crucial supports include establishing clear usage guidelines for AI tools, providing adequate staff training to ensure competence and confidence in using AI, designating a named AI lead to champion and manage AI adoption, and implementing a formal tool review process to evaluate the efficacy and safety of AI solutions. Bill Voegeli emphasized that the AI maturity model employed in the study provided a novel perspective for the veterinary profession, distinctly highlighting the indispensable role of a well-defined strategy, robust governance, and thoughtful workflow redesign in maximizing the value and positive outcomes derived from AI in clinical practice. Shifting attitudes and concerns The sentiment among veterinary professionals regarding artificial intelligence has become increasingly positive over the past two years. Optimists now constitute 56.3% of the workforce, a notable increase, while the proportion of skeptics has decreased to 22.7%. A significant shift was also observed in the fear of job displacement due to AI, which dropped from 37.2% in 2024 to 20%. This suggests a growing comfort and understanding of how AI might augment, rather than replace, human roles. However, despite the increased optimism, certain concerns persist and even intensified. Reliability and accuracy remained the foremost concern, cited by 67.4% of respondents, emphasizing the need for robust and dependable AI solutions in a clinical setting. Concerns regarding data security and privacy also rose substantially, affecting 59% of professionals, reflecting the critical importance of protecting sensitive patient and client information. Similarly, a lack of adequate training was a rising concern for 47.1% of respondents, indicating a need for better educational resources and programs to equip professionals with the necessary skills to effectively integrate and manage AI tools. Looking forward, there is a strong consensus within the profession: 79.8% of respondents anticipate that AI will be an integral part of most clinic workflows within the next five years. Sebastian Gabor reiterated that strategic AI adoption leads to tangible benefits, including increased time with patients, enhanced client retention, and improved revenue, and that the research aims to provide veterinary teams with a clear roadmap to achieve these benefits.

Measuring AI maturity

The 2026 benchmark study, conducted by Digitail and the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), gathered 1730 self-reported responses from veterinary professionals across various roles and practice types in the US and Canada between July 27 and August 12, 2026. This survey built upon core measures from the 2024 Digitail-AAHA survey, which had 4031 respondents and was published in the American Journal of Veterinary Research. A key new component of this year's study was the Veterinary AI Maturity Index. This index evaluates practices on a scale from 1 (ad hoc, meaning AI use is disorganized and reactive) to 4 (advanced, indicating a mature and strategic approach to AI). It assesses six critical dimensions: strategy and intent, governance and oversight, vendor evaluation, workflow and technology integration, adoption depth, and capability and readiness. This framework was adapted from the well-regarded Healthcare AI Governance Readiness Assessment. The study found the average maturity score among veterinary practices to be 2.67 out of 4. Notably, 'capability and readiness' received the highest scores, suggesting that professionals feel capable of using AI. However, 'governance and oversight' scored the lowest, trailing other dimensions by more than a full point, indicating a significant area for improvement. The study clearly demonstrated a strong correlation between AI maturity and business outcomes: practices at level 1 reported an average of only 0.64 positive outcomes, whereas those at level 4 achieved an average of 4.05 positive outcomes. Furthermore, a substantial 70.9% of level 1 practices reported no measurable impact from their AI adoption, contrasting sharply with only about 11% at levels 3 and 4. Bill Voegeli, president of Association Insights, highlighted that the study aimed to identify what differentiates practices that see actual results from those that do not, focusing on the factors contributing to success.

How practices are using AI

The survey revealed that clinical documentation is the most prevalent application of AI among veterinary professionals, with 62.8% of AI users employing it for tasks such as AI scribes and generating SOAP (Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan) notes. Following clinical documentation, client communication emerged as another significant area of AI utilization. In contrast, more advanced diagnostic applications, including the interpretation of radiographs, laboratory results, and cytology samples, were reported as less common uses of AI within veterinary practices. On average, practices were found to be leveraging AI in 3.33 different operational areas. The study also identified several reported benefits stemming from AI adoption. A substantial 44.3% of practices experienced higher patient throughput, indicating improved efficiency in managing patient flow. Better client retention or satisfaction was reported by 32% of practices, suggesting that AI tools are helping to enhance client relationships and overall service quality. Additionally, 29.2% of practices noted the introduction of new or expanded digital services as a direct benefit of AI integration. Despite these positive outcomes, approximately 20% of the surveyed practices indicated that they had not yet observed any measurable impact from their AI initiatives, underscoring that while adoption is high, value realization can vary.

Gaps in strategy and governance

Despite the broad acceptance and increasing use of AI in veterinary medicine, the study identified critical deficiencies in strategic planning and governance. A significant majority, 65.2% of practices, integrated AI tools into their operations without making meaningful changes to their existing workflows. This suggests a reactive rather than proactive approach to AI implementation, potentially limiting its full potential. Furthermore, nearly half of all veterinary practices surveyed indicated that they either lacked a formal AI strategy or had not assigned a designated individual responsible for overseeing AI initiatives. This absence of clear leadership and direction can hinder effective deployment and monitoring of AI tools. Approximately one-third of practices reported having no governance supports in place. These crucial supports include establishing clear usage guidelines for AI tools, providing adequate staff training to ensure competence and confidence in using AI, designating a named AI lead to champion and manage AI adoption, and implementing a formal tool review process to evaluate the efficacy and safety of AI solutions. Bill Voegeli emphasized that the AI maturity model employed in the study provided a novel perspective for the veterinary profession, distinctly highlighting the indispensable role of a well-defined strategy, robust governance, and thoughtful workflow redesign in maximizing the value and positive outcomes derived from AI in clinical practice.

Shifting attitudes and concerns

The sentiment among veterinary professionals regarding artificial intelligence has become increasingly positive over the past two years. Optimists now constitute 56.3% of the workforce, a notable increase, while the proportion of skeptics has decreased to 22.7%. A significant shift was also observed in the fear of job displacement due to AI, which dropped from 37.2% in 2024 to 20%. This suggests a growing comfort and understanding of how AI might augment, rather than replace, human roles. However, despite the increased optimism, certain concerns persist and even intensified. Reliability and accuracy remained the foremost concern, cited by 67.4% of respondents, emphasizing the need for robust and dependable AI solutions in a clinical setting. Concerns regarding data security and privacy also rose substantially, affecting 59% of professionals, reflecting the critical importance of protecting sensitive patient and client information. Similarly, a lack of adequate training was a rising concern for 47.1% of respondents, indicating a need for better educational resources and programs to equip professionals with the necessary skills to effectively integrate and manage AI tools. Looking forward, there is a strong consensus within the profession: 79.8% of respondents anticipate that AI will be an integral part of most clinic workflows within the next five years. Sebastian Gabor reiterated that strategic AI adoption leads to tangible benefits, including increased time with patients, enhanced client retention, and improved revenue, and that the research aims to provide veterinary teams with a clear roadmap to achieve these benefits.