Artificial intelligence agents in orthopaedics: Concepts, capabilities and the road ahead.
Authors
Affiliations (11)
Affiliations (11)
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland.
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Tripler Army Medical Center, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.
- Sahlgrenska Sports Medicine Center, Gothenburg, Sweden.
- Department of Orthopaedics, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
- Department of Orthopedics, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö/Lund, Sweden.
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden.
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
- Department for Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Kepler University Hospital GmbH, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Linz, Austria.
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology, Kantonsspital Baselland, Bruderholz, Switzerland.
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
- Department for Orthopaedics, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden.
Abstract
Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly used in orthopaedics, yet current models are often limited to narrow, isolated tasks like analysing an X-ray or predicting a single outcome. This paper introduces AI agents-a new class of AI systems designed to overcome these limitations. Unlike traditional AI, agents can autonomously manage complex, multistep processes that mirror the complete patient journey. They can coordinate tasks from initial diagnosis and surgical scheduling to postoperative monitoring and rehabilitation, acting as intelligent assistants for clinical teams. This review explains what distinguishes AI agents from conventional AI, explores their potential applications in orthopaedic practice-including perioperative workflow optimisation, research acceleration and intelligent physician support-and discusses the significant implementation and ethical challenges that must be addressed. For the orthopaedic surgeon, understanding AI agents is becoming essential, as these systems offer a transformative potential to enhance efficiency, improve patient outcomes and shape the future of clinical leadership in a technologically advancing field. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level V.