Interacting with medical artificial intelligence: Integrating self-responsibility attribution, human–computer trust, and personality

Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the medical industry. This paper first investigates the mechanism of patients' medical AI acceptance after experiencing AI service failure from the perspective of responsibility attribution. Using data from 249 patients in China, findings reveal that patients' self-responsibility attribution is positively related to human–computer trust (HCT) and sequentially enhances the acceptance of medical AI for independent diagnosis and treatment. This paper also investigates the moderating role of personality traits. Specifically, conscientiousness and openness strengthen the association between HCT and acceptance of AI for independent diagnosis and treatment; agreeableness and conscientiousness weaken the association between HCT and acceptance of AI for assistive diagnosis and treatment. • Medical AI diagnosis consisted of independent and assistive diagnosis. • This paper discusses the medical AI acceptance after experiencing AI service failure. • Attribution theory was considered as a theoretical framework. • Personality affects the association between human–computer trust and AI acceptance.