The American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) recognizes the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to advance patient care, research, education, and operational efficiency in our field.1 At the same time, the Academy acknowledges the significant risks of bias, privacy breaches, security vulnerabilities, overreliance, inequity, and lack of transparency that may accompany these technologies.2,3 AI should play a collaborative role by augmenting, not replacing, the judgment and expertise of otolaryngologists, who remain ultimately responsible for patient care.1 Its development, training, and deployment must adhere to principles of safety, accountability, fairness, transparency, and environmental responsibility, with rigorous evaluation, ongoing monitoring, and auditing across diverse patient populations.2,4 The AAO-HNS supports research and innovation that advance explainable and equitable AI, disclosure of conflicts of interest, and integration of legal and ethical safeguards.2,5 The Academy further emphasizes the importance of clinician education, interdisciplinary collaboration, and alignment with national and international health priorities to ensure AI is implemented responsibly and sustainably, ultimately fostering safe and effective innovation in otolaryngology.
Approved November 11, 2025
1 Ayoub NF, Rameau A, Brenner MJ, Bur AM, Ator GA, Briggs SE, Takashima M, Stankovic KM; AAO‐HNS Artificial Intelligence Task Force. American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) Report on Artificial Intelligence. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2024 Dec 12. doi:10.1002/ohn.1080. PMID: 39666770.
2 Youssef A, Nichol AA, Martinez-Martin N, et al. Ethical Considerations in the Design and Conduct of Clinical Trials of Artificial Intelligence. JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7(9):e2432482. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.32482
3 Nwosu OI, Crowson MG, Rameau A. Artificial Intelligence Governance and Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. Laryngoscope. 2023 Nov;133(11):2868-2870. doi:10.1002/lary.31013. PMID: 37658749.
4 Shah NH, Pfeffer MA, Ghassemi M. The Need for Continuous Evaluation of Artificial Intelligence Prediction Algorithms. JAMA Netw Open. 2024 Sep 3;7(9):e2433009. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.33009. PMID: 39264634.
5 Matheny ME, Goldsack JC, Saria S, et al. Artificial Intelligence in Health and Health Care: Priorities for Action. Health Affairs. 2025;44(1). doi:10.1377/hlthaff.2024.01003
