When I sat down with a group of veterinarians to discuss artificial intelligence, I expected questions about the hype versus the reality. What I encountered instead were experienced practitioners already experimenting with AI tools — some with enthusiasm, others with caution. The conversation made one thing clear: Veterinary clinics that approach AI thoughtfully will benefit the most.
Efficiency Is the Doorway
The most significant takeaway from our discussion involved AI scribes. Nearly everyone who had stuck with these tools long enough reported regaining one to two hours of their workday. That time was spent with patients, on client communication or simply catching one’s breath between cases. The catch was the learning curve: remembering to verbalize every finding, every assessment, every plan. At first, the technology felt awkward, but those who persevered swore by the payoff.
For me, the lesson is straightforward: If you want to see an immediate impact on your practice, start here. Trial a few scribing platforms, commit to a short adjustment period, and build new habits. The return on investment is not abstract; it shows up every evening when you leave the clinic earlier.
Diagnostics Require Critical Eyes
We also discussed artificial intelligence in diagnostics, including radiology and cytology, as well as emerging tools. The experiences were mixed. Zoetis’s VetScan Imagyst, for example, earned praise for increasing the volume of in-house diagnostics once staff mastered sample prep. Radiology platforms, by contrast, drew more skepticism. Reports of false positives on thoracic images or inconsistencies compared to cardiologists’ reads were common.
The key here is critical thinking. AI doesn’t replace radiologists or pathologists. Instead, it flags findings quickly and at a lower cost, and it requires veterinarians to verify the output. You risk overconfidence in a fallible tool if you don’t approach diagnostic AI with a questioning mindset — asking what the model was trained on and how sensitive or specific it is.
Responsibility Stays With Us
One point everyone agreed on is this: Liability does not shift to the AI tool. The American Association of Veterinary State Boards has been explicit that veterinarians remain 100% responsible for clinical decisions. That means disclaimers or vendor assurances are no substitute for judgment.
That point came up most clearly in conversations about recording clients while scribing. Several practitioners have reframed their request. Rather than say, “I need to record,” they explain, “This tool helps me make better records for me and better information for you.” Most clients agreed to be recorded once they understood the benefit. With clients who refused, veterinarians dictated notes immediately after the appointment.
The principle is the same across all tools: AI may help, but responsibility and trust remain ours to protect.
Don’t Ignore Data and Security
Another recurring theme was data privacy. Veterinary clinics are right to worry about where their recordings, case notes and diagnostic images end up. Not all vendors are equally transparent about how securely user data is stored or whether it becomes training material for the companies. Several veterinarians in the group recommended digging into privacy policies and checking whether the platforms are SOC 2 Type 2 compliant.
Such tasks may seem tedious, but due diligence is crucial. Protecting client trust requires knowing exactly how your AI tools handle information. A breach or misuse of data, even if unintentional, undermines everything else you build with clients.
Independent Practices Have a Hidden Advantage
Some participants expressed concern that independent practices might be at a disadvantage compared to large organizations in terms of budgets for software and IT infrastructure. Their point was fair. Corporate groups can spend heavily on technology, but independents lacking financial power can compensate with agility.
Smaller veterinary practices can adopt an AI tool tomorrow if they see it working. They can test, iterate and respond to client needs without the lengthy approval processes, legal reviews and change-management structures that slow large organizations. In other words, the speed of adoption often trumps software spend. In many cases, being able to move quickly, trying out a new scribe, piloting a diagnostic tool or recommending a consumer-facing app matters more than having the biggest budget.
That agility is a competitive advantage. Independent practices that lean into experimentation, guided by critical judgment, can stay ahead of larger groups bogged down in committees and review cycles.
The Future Is Coming Quickly
Perhaps the most exciting part of our discussion centered on what’s next. The veterinarians were intrigued by the potential of AI agents that could integrate directly with practice management software, populating treatment plans and estimates in real time. Others mentioned consumer-facing apps like Sylvester AI and TTcare, which clients may use to flag health concerns before a visit. For me, the strategic takeaway is that clinics should not just adopt AI internally but also consider how to leverage the tools that pet owners have in their pockets. Recommending vetted consumer apps could become the new way to drive preventive visits and deepen client relationships.
What Stuck With Me
Walking away from the conversation, I kept circling back to five lessons:
- Efficiency is the entry point. AI scribes are mature enough to deliver immediate value if you commit to the learning curve.
- Diagnostics demand vigilance. Use AI to save time and money, but never outsource judgment.
- Responsibility never shifts. Whether it’s medical decisions or client trust, veterinarians are always accountable.
- Security is nonnegotiable. Choose vendors that are transparent and compliant.
- Agility is an advantage. Independent practices can beat larger organizations by moving faster, not by spending more.
Those are not abstract principles. They are the conditions under which AI technology becomes a genuine asset rather than a liability.
Final Thoughts
What struck me most was the discussion’s tone. The group was not made up of people dazzled by novelty. They were thoughtful, critical and, above all, practical. They saw AI not as a revolution but as a tool that, when used wisely, makes their jobs easier and their patient care better.
That, I think, is the real lesson: AI in veterinary medicine will not succeed or fail based solely on algorithms. It will succeed because veterinarians take ownership of how they use it, insist on responsibility and keep patient care at the center.
WHAT PRACTICE MANAGERS THINK
Members of the Veterinary Hospital Managers Association were asked in a 2024 survey about their practices’ use of AI-based technology. The most frequent areas of AI use were medical records (49%), client communications (44%) and patient diagnosis (38%). In addition, 79% rated the overall impact of AI-based technology on hospital operations as “positive” or “very positive.”