European Journal of General Practice

Artificial Intelligence in General Practice

Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI) offers promising advancements in general practice, supporting decision-making, reducing workload, and facilitating person-centred care. From a public health and data science perspective, GenAI also holds promise for improving consistency of care, enhancing population-level insights derived from routine clinical data, and supporting learning health systems. However, there is a significant knowledge gap regarding the effects of using Gen AI. At present, much of the available literature is dominated by proof-of-concept studies, simulated use cases, or anecdotal reports. Rigorous evaluations conducted in real-world, high-pressure primary care settings, where time constraints, multimorbidity, health inequities, and fragmented data are the norm, are notably scarce. Co-creation and validation with GPs to build trust, detect bias, and ensure practical relevance are often lacking.

The responsible introduction and integration of GenAI into general practice requires a robust research agenda grounded in public health principles, ethical governance, and implementation science. This includes prospective and mixed-methods studies that assess not only benefits but also unintended consequences, such as over-reliance on AI outputs, shifts in professional roles, data privacy risks, and the impact on the clinician–patient relationship. Regulatory, legal, and ethical considerations must be addressed alongside empirical evidence to ensure that GenAI aligns with societal values and professional standards. This can accelerate the trend toward intelligent use of Gen AI in general practice.

In this Collection, we include opinion papers and research articles presenting and discussing the results of studies assessing the effects of Gen AI, taking into account the specific context of GPs and patients involved. We are particularly interested in studies that examine the effects of using Gen AI tools on relevant patient outcomes and GP workloads, including potential benefits and harms.

AI should support and not override professional judgement and clinical autonomy, keeping the ‘human-in-the-loop’. We hope the articles in this Collection will encourage researchers to conduct studies with relevant outcomes and support GPs in the intelligent use of AI tools.

All manuscripts submitted to this Article Collection will undergo a full peer-review; the Guest Advisors for this Collection will not be handling the manuscripts (unless they are an Editorial Board member). The Guest Advisors declare no Conflict of Interests.

Please review the journal scope and author submission instructions prior to submitting a manuscript.

The deadline for submitting manuscripts is 31st October 2026.

Please contact Commissioning Editor Francis Straw at [email protected] with any queries or for details about APC discounts. 

Please be sure to select the appropriate Article Collection from the drop-down menu in the submission system. Failure to select the appropriate Article Collection or Section name can result in delays.