The increasing adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics is leading to a profound transformation of the healthcare sector (Raimo et al., 2022), affecting diagnostic accuracy, optimising clinical processes and redefining care practices (Comite, 2022). Collaboration between healthcare professionals and intelligent machines is a key element in the evolution of care, redefining roles and changing traditional organisational structures (Çetin, 2024).
However, large-scale implementation is hampered by acceptance barriers, behavioural resistance and ethical and regulatory issues. This integration presents an opportunity to increase efficiency and reduce the margin of error (Babashahi, 2024), yet questions remain about safety, reliability and the impact on professional skills (Nivethithitha et al., 2014). Adoption depends largely on the trust healthcare professionals place in these technologies, transparency in algorithmic decision-making, and the availability of resources and adequate training.
The study asks: “How does human-computer interaction affect the acceptance of digital technologies by healthcare professionals and what strategies can be implemented to improve their adoption?”
To answer this, the authors conducted a systematic literature review (Massaro et al., 2016), analysing articles from Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus. The selection process combined automated and manual searches, identifying 11 relevant studies. Inclusion criteria focused on works addressing acceptance factors, barriers, and implementation strategies of AI and robotics in healthcare. Technical studies without a human-computer interaction perspective were excluded. Recent literature also highlights the growing role of AI-powered assistants, where human-chatbot interactions redefine service delivery (Akpan et al., 2025).
The aim is to create a strategic agenda for adopting AI and robotics in healthcare, identifying strategies and methods, including empirical ones, to facilitate integration and improve perception among professionals.
Findings show that acceptance depends on trust, perceived usefulness, ease of use and training adequacy. Resistance stems from fear of a diminished human role, regulatory uncertainty and ethical concerns linked to automation. Effective strategies include transparency in decisions, involving healthcare workers in development, and specific training programmes.
Human-computer interaction is redefining healthcare, promoting a collaborative model between professionals and AI. For this transition to succeed, organisational, ethical and training challenges must be addressed. Institutions must invest in training and policies for responsible and sustainable integration (Murugan et al., 2024). Recent studies also emphasize AI-driven assistants as tools to enhance collaboration and bridge gaps in professional-patient interactions (Liu et al., 2024). The adoption of AI and robotics (Kaur, 2024) offers a unique chance to improve care, but requires a strategic, interdisciplinary approach. This contribution offers a foundation for future research and for defining effective, sustainable implementation models.