Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming a powerful new tool in training and education, including in the field of neurosurgery. However, new research suggests that AI tutors can be combined with human instruction to achieve better results.
Researchers at the Center for Neuro (Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital) Neuro (Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital) are studying how AI and virtual reality (VR) can improve brain surgeon training and performance. Use VR to simulate brain surgery, use AI to monitor student performance, and provide continuous verbal feedback on how students can improve performance and prevent errors. Previous research shows that the AI-powered intelligent tutoring systems developed at the centre outweighed expert human teachers, but these instructors do not provide trainee AI performance data.
In their latest study, the researchers recruited 87 medical students from four Quebec medical schools and divided them into three groups. One includes A-Only oral feedback, one includes expert instructor feedback, and the other includes expert feedback notified from real-time AI performance data. The team recorded student performances, including how quickly their surgical skills improved while receiving different types of training.
They found that students receiving Ai-Augmented personalized feedback from human instructors outperformed both the other groups in surgical performance and skill transfer. Additionally, this group demonstrated better risk management with two critical surgical expertise: bleeding and tissue damage. This study suggests that intelligent tutoring systems can provide standardized, data-driven assessments, but integration of human expertise will enhance engagement and ensure feedback is contextualized and adaptive.
Our findings highlight the importance of human input in AI-driven surgical education. When expert instructors use AI performance data to provide tailored, real-time feedback, trainees learned faster and transferred skills more effectively. ”
Bianca Guillio, author of Reed Research
Although this study was inherent in neurosurgical training, its findings could be passed on to other professions, where students must acquire highly technical and complex skills in high-pressure environments.
“AI does not empower educators,” says Dr. Roland der Maestro, a neurosurgeon, by integrating AI's analytical capabilities with the key guidance of experienced instructors, “by creating an intelligent operating room” while minimizing future learners.
This study was published in the journal Jama surgery On August 6, 2025, the Canadian Brain Tumor Foundation, Royal Canadian Physicians and Surgeons, Mitac accelerated grant, Franco Di Giovanni Foundation, Canadian Alumni Scholarship, Lefons de Lecce Duquebec-Sante, McGill University Max Bins Fellowship.
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Journal Reference:
Giglio, B. , et al. (2025). Artificial Intelligence – Human guidance and surgical simulation performance. Jama surgery. doi.org/10.1001/jamasurg.2025.2564
