# Preparing for an AI-driven future: insights from Saudi pharmacy students

## TL;DR

This study explores Saudi pharmacy students' attitudes toward AI in education and practice, finding generally positive support with a call for ethical awareness and curriculum integration.

## Contribution

The study provides insights into pharmacy students' readiness for AI integration and highlights educational needs and ethical concerns in Saudi Arabia.

## Key findings

- Students showed positive attitudes toward AI in pharmacy education and practice with a mean score of 3.43.
- Ethical awareness regarding AI use was moderate, indicating a need for focused education.
- Students emphasized the importance of understanding AI-generated results and how technology functions.

## Abstract

The current study was conducted to assess pharmacy students outlook towards artificial intelligence (AI), pharmacy education, and pharmacy practice.

The study used a cross-sectional, self-administered, anonymous online questionnaire. The study was conducted at the college of pharmacy in Saudi Arabia.

Year 4 and year 5 undergraduate pharmacy students were chosen as the study population.

A total of 133 pharmacy students completed the survey (response rate: 82%). The mean Likert score for perceptions of AI use in pharmacy education and practice was 3.43 ± 0.6, while the mean score for incorporation of AI in pharmacy education programs was 3.55 ± 0.78. Students demonstrated generally positive attitudes toward AI, supporting its development and integration into pharmacy curricula, though ethical awareness remained moderate.

Most students were supportive of the development of AI in the pharmacy field and valued the importance of having some basic understanding of AI. Ethical and legal consideration of AI used was raised by participants. They were supportive of integrating AI into pharmacy program curricula. Their top-rated learning objectives involved understanding and interpreting AI generated results, gaining awareness of ethical consideration of using AI in clinical practice, comprehend how basic technology process the work, expressing how technology functions in a way that others can grasp.