Chat generative pre-trained transformers era: pros and cons between nursing researchers in Egypt

TL;DR

This study explores the views of Egyptian nursing researchers on the benefits and risks of using ChatGPT in healthcare.

Contribution

It identifies nursing researchers' perceptions of ChatGPT's pros and cons in Egypt, highlighting concerns about confidentiality and legal issues.

Findings

81.4% of participants saw significant advantages in using ChatGPT.

65.6% were concerned about patient confidentiality and 68.8% worried about incorrect conclusions.

67.8% were reluctant to use AI chatbots for healthcare decisions.

Abstract

An artificial intelligence chatbot called Chat Generative Pre-Trained Transformers (ChatGPT) was created by OpenAI. It gained a lot of interest and attention from the scientific and academic sectors since its November 2022 launch.

To identify ChatGPT pros and cons between nursing researchers in Egypt.

A descriptive (cross sectional) research design was conducted on a convenient sample of 1001 nursing researchers from faculties of nursing related to the Supreme Council of Universities. Two tools were used: demographic and technical characteristics, and nursing researchers’ opinion questionnaire.

The majority of the participants (81.4%) thought that using ChatGPT had significant advantages. However, 44.7% of the cons were disclosed. Almost two-thirds of nursing researchers stated that they are concerned about patient confidentiality (65.6%), that it could lead to incorrect conclusions (68.8%), and that it could have medicolegal repercussions (68.6%). As a result, they are reluctant to use AI chatbots in healthcare decisions (67.8%).

ChatGPT had benefits but at the same time associated with drawbacks and needs to be used wisely to avoid these drawbacks. Enhance ChatGPT’s ability to foster reflective practice to enhance decision-making and critical thinking while bridging the theoretical and practical knowledge gaps in nursing research.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12912-025-03332-1.