AI in veterinary: use more than double and reaches 83.7% of professionals

The use of artificial intelligence among veterinary professionals reached 83.7%, according to a survey by Digitail in partnership with the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA). The number represents more than twice that recorded two years ago — and puts veterinary medicine among the fastest sectors that absorbed AI tools in the period. The clinics that adopted the technology strategically, and not only experimentally, report business results up to six times better than the others.

What does the Digital and AAHA study reveal about AI in veterinary medicine?

The research heard professionals from clinics and veterinary hospitals to map adoption, practical use and financial impact of AI on daily life. The central data — 83.7% adoption — is accompanied by an important cut: the jump was not homogeneous. A relevant part of the clinics uses AI on a punctual basis in isolated tasks, while a smaller group structured the tool within clinical and administrative flows. It is precisely in this second group that the business results reported as six times higher appear.

The full survey was published by the dvm360 portal, specialized in animal health in the United States.

Why did the AI at the vet fire just now?

Three factors help explain the curve. The first is the maturation of the generating AI tools, which began to deal with clinical notes, transcription of consultations and medical records abstracts with less noticeable error. The second is operational pressure: veterinary clinics face shortages of labor and high turnover, a scenario in which automation of repetitive tasks becomes immediate relief. The third is the comparison effect — the same acceleration pattern appears in other sectors, as shows the NVIDIA uprising on AI adoption in the financial sector.

What separates clinics that profit from AI in the vet from those that only test?

According to the study reading, the difference is not in the chosen tool, but in the form of implementation. Clinics with expressive results tend to integrate AI into defined processes — screening, scheduling, clinical documentation, communication with tutors — rather than leaving the adoption to chance of each veterinarian. This logic is consistent with what other surveys have already pointed out about return on investment in AI: the gain appears when technology is tied to business metrics, as shown by the IDC study on real ROI of AI in companies.

And in Brazil, what does AI in veterinary change?

To date, there is no equivalent Brazilian data published by Digitail or AAHA. This means that any projection to veterinary clinics in the country is inference, not fact measured. Still, the behavior described in the American study serves as a thermometer for a market that shares part of the same bottlenecks: shortage of professionals, increasing demand for care and tight margins. For developers and suppliers of veterinary software in Brazil, the message is direct — the space is not to convince the industry to use AI, but to deliver integrations that solve real flows.

What the study on AI in veterinary still does not answer

The survey measures adoption and perception of results, but does not detail which specific tools are being used, nor does it separate the impact by clinical or specialty size. Nor is there, in the material published, a cut by time of use - which prevents us from stating whether the results six times better are direct consequences of AI or clinics that were already more efficient before adopting it. These are typical research gaps in early stages, which should be addressed in future editions.

Frequently Asked Questions about AI in veterinary medicine

How many veterinary professionals are currently using AI?

According to the Digitail study with AAHA, 83.7% of veterinary professionals use artificial intelligence, more than twice that recorded two years ago.

What is the business gain reported by clinics that use AI?

Clinics that adopt technology in a strategic way, integrated with processes, report business results up to six times better than the others, according to the research.

Is there equivalent data for veterinary clinics in Brazil?

To date, there is no equivalent Brazilian survey published by Digitail or AAHA. Any comparison with the national market is projection based on the American scenario, not measured.