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The Veterinary Transparency Alliance, a group of stakeholder organisations and individuals from across veterinary, technology and regulatory sectors, is consulting professionals on the responsible use of AI as it embeds itself in practice.
Developed over 18 months by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) and veterinary communications platform, Digital Practice, the framework has involved input from professionals across the sector. Contributors included veterinary professionals, developers, practices, regulators, insurers, educators, members of the wider practice team and animal owners themselves.
With 23 principles in total, the draft will cover human oversight requirements, data storage and usage risks and AI’s potential impact on client consent. The information AI providers should disclose will be set out, explaining its importance to veterinary professionals.
Lizzie Lockett, chief executive of the RCVS, said: “When we convened these meetings, there was a very clear sense from all parties that AI tools had the potential to greatly enhance the capabilities of veterinary professionals and help improve animal health and welfare.
“However, this was balanced by the clear desire to use AI tools with requisite caution, taking into account potential risks, the need to be open and transparent about their use, and the need for professional judgement both when choosing an AI service and when their outputs are used.
“The framework aims to ensure the information veterinary professionals need to exercise that judgement is available to them.”
Susie Samuel, chief executive of Digital Practice, said: “We hope this framework reflects the detailed and nuanced discussions we have held with stakeholders, recognising that AI can bring real benefits to animal health and welfare. In a period of rapid change, veterinary teams want to adopt these tools safely while technology providers want to help them do so.
“Your responses will directly shape how we refine the document and ensure it is as relevant and useful as possible for the profession and the wider industry.”
