The 10 AI Tools Doctors Actually Use Daily (Ranked by Real Physicians)

67% of physicians now use AI in their daily work, but which tools are they actually reaching for when patient care, documentation, and time pressure collide?

That question is at the center of the 2025 Physicians AI Report, a large-scale survey of 1,000+ physicians across 106 specialties that looks beyond opinions and pilot programs to examine real-world AI usage. Instead of asking what doctors might use one day, the survey focused on the tools they already rely on—often outside formal hospital systems.

The results reveal a highly fragmented ecosystem. Physicians reported using 71 unique AI tools, ranging from enterprise EHR features to consumer-grade general AI and niche clinical platforms. Yet despite this fragmentation, clear winners emerge—most notably one tool that alone accounts for 44.9% of reported physician usage.

What makes these tools successful isn’t branding or institutional endorsement. It’s immediacy. Doctors gravitate toward AI that saves time, reduces documentation burden, and delivers usable information fast.

The Fragmented AI Landscape

One of the most striking findings from the survey is the adoption paradox: widespread AI use paired with a scattered, non-standardized toolset.

Most physicians report using AI frequently, yet few rely on a single platform. Instead, they assemble personalized stacks, often using personal subscriptions rather than employer-provided tools. Hospitals and health systems move cautiously, while frontline clinicians face immediate pressures: charting backlogs, inbox overload, and limited time with patients.

This fragmentation matters because it shows what doctors value when they’re free to choose. Tools that deliver fast answers, automate documentation, or flex across multiple tasks consistently outperform narrowly scoped or institutionally locked solutions.

In short, physician behavior reveals priorities more clearly than strategy decks ever could.

The Top 10 AI Tools Doctors Use Daily

#1: OpenEvidence — 44.9%

Category: Clinical Decision Support

What it does: OpenEvidence is an AI-powered clinical research assistant designed specifically for medical professionals. It searches, synthesizes, and summarizes medical literature, guidelines, and research findings, helping clinicians quickly orient themselves to the current evidence base.

How doctors actually use it: Physicians use OpenEvidence during clinical decision-making moments—when evaluating diagnostic possibilities, confirming guideline-based management, or checking evidence for less common presentations. Rather than replacing judgment, it functions as a rapid evidence compass.

Why doctors chose it: Trust and relevance. OpenEvidence focuses on clinical material, not general web content, making it more aligned with how physicians think and work.

Best for: Evidence-backed decision-making under time pressure.

Likely specialties: Internal medicine, emergency medicine, family medicine, hospital medicine.

#2: ChatGPT — 15.6%

Category: General AI

What it does: ChatGPT is a general-purpose conversational AI capable of summarizing information, drafting text, explaining complex concepts, and brainstorming ideas.

How doctors actually use it: Physicians use ChatGPT as a cognitive assistant—rewriting notes, drafting patient-friendly explanations, summarizing guidelines, outlining differential diagnoses, and preparing administrative documents such as appeal letters or instructions.

Why doctors chose it: Its flexibility. One tool can support dozens of micro-tasks throughout the day.

Best for: Drafting, summarization, patient communication, and rapid ideation.

Key insight: Combined with Claude, Grok, and Perplexity, general AI tools account for 22.8% of total physician AI usage, highlighting a strong preference for adaptable, multi-use systems.

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#3: Abridge — 4.9%

Category: Documentation / Scribing

What it does: Abridge is an ambient AI medical scribe that captures patient-clinician conversations and converts them into structured clinical documentation.

How doctors actually use it: Physicians let Abridge run during visits, then review and finalize generated notes. This dramatically reduces typing, after-hours charting, and cognitive load during encounters.

Why doctors chose it: It attacks the single biggest pain point in medicine: documentation.

Best for: Maximizing patient-facing time while minimizing note-writing.

Data connection: Directly aligned with the 65% of physicians who prioritize documentation and scribing relief as their top AI use case.

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#4: Claude — 3.0%

Category: General AI

What it does: Claude is a conversational AI optimized for long-form reasoning, structured writing, and nuanced responses.

How doctors actually use it: Physicians rely on Claude for summarizing lengthy clinical documents, drafting patient education materials, and developing internal protocols or quality improvement documentation.

Why doctors chose it: Clear structure, strong reasoning, and calmer tone—especially useful for complex or sensitive content.

Best for: Long documents, complex reasoning, patient-facing writing.

#5: DAX Copilot — 2.4%

Category: Documentation

What it does: DAX Copilot is Microsoft’s ambient clinical documentation solution, designed to listen during encounters and generate structured notes.

How doctors actually use it: Clinicians use DAX to capture visit narratives passively, then review outputs inside their workflow—reducing the need for manual data entry.

Why doctors chose it: Integration potential with existing Microsoft and enterprise systems.

Best for: Organizations and practices embedded in the Microsoft ecosystem.

#6: Heidi — 2.4%

Category: Documentation

What it does: Heidi is an AI-powered documentation assistant focused on rapid note generation and turnaround.

How doctors actually use it: Physicians use Heidi to quickly convert encounter data into usable notes, especially in environments with limited support staff.

Why doctors chose it: Speed, simplicity, and lower overhead compared to enterprise solutions.

Best for: Solo clinicians and small practices.

#7: Grok — 2.4%

Category: General AI

What it does: Grok is a conversational AI with access to real-time information streams.

How doctors actually use it: Doctors use Grok to stay current on medical news, emerging discussions, and fast-moving topics, supplementing more formal research tools.

Why doctors chose it: Real-time awareness and conversational access to current information.

Best for: Monitoring trends, news, and evolving discussions.

#8: Doximity — 1.8%

Category: Professional Network

What it does: Doximity is a physician-specific professional network with AI-enhanced features.

How doctors actually use it: Physicians rely on Doximity for communication, professional networking, and workflow-adjacent tasks.

Why doctors chose it: Trust. It’s built for physicians and already part of daily professional life.

Best for: Peer connection and professional coordination.

#9: Epic AI — 1.8%

Category: EHR Integration

What it does: Epic AI consists of AI-powered features embedded directly into the Epic EHR.

How doctors actually use it: Clinicians use Epic AI for summarization, note assistance, and workflow optimization without leaving the EHR.

Why doctors chose it: Zero friction—no extra logins or tools.

Best for: Large health systems standardized on Epic.

#10: Perplexity — 1.8%

Category: General AI

What it does: Perplexity is an AI-powered search and research engine that emphasizes citations and sources.

How doctors actually use it: Physicians use Perplexity for fast overviews, fact-checking, and starting points before deeper literature review.

Why doctors chose it: Transparency and research orientation.

Best for: Quick literature scans and verification.

Key Patterns Across the Top 10

Three dominant categories emerge: clinical decision support, documentation/scribing, and general AI. Together, they reflect the real structure of clinical work—decision-making, paperwork, and information processing.

General AI tools account for nearly a quarter of total usage, underscoring the need for flexibility. Documentation tools make up three of the top ten, directly mirroring physicians’ stated priorities. And most of these tools are adopted personally, not institutionally.

Doctors aren’t waiting. They’re building solutions themselves.

What Doctors Really Want From AI Tools

Survey priorities are unambiguous:

• 65% want documentation and scribing support
• 48% want administrative burden relief
• 43% want clinical decision support

Yet many organizations still emphasize advanced clinical AI over basic workflow relief. This mismatch fuels frustration—and explains why physicians turn to tools that simply make their days easier.

The Tools Doctors Want, but Don’t Have Yet

Even among active AI users, demand outpaces access. The most requested tools include Abridge (22.2%) and Evidently (11.1%), signaling unmet needs in documentation and evidence synthesis.

What This Means for Healthcare Organizations

Physicians overwhelmingly support peer-driven tool adoption (95% positive sentiment), yet 71% report little influence over institutional AI decisions. Meanwhile, 81% express dissatisfaction with employer AI rollout speed.

Doctors are already voting with their wallets. Organizations that listen—and align with real usage—will close the adoption gap fastest.

Conclusion

AI adoption in medicine is no longer speculative. 67% of physicians use AI daily, spread across 71 tools, guided by real-world needs rather than institutional strategy.

Physicians know exactly what they need: less documentation, less administrative friction, and faster access to reliable information. The future of healthcare AI will belong to those who follow that lead—not those who ignore it.

Download the full 2025 Physicians AI Report to explore the complete dataset and deeper insights into physician AI adoption.