Benevolent Deception and the Potential Conflicts Between Medical AI and Chinese Family-Oriented Decision Making for the Elderly

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) technology in the realm of biomedicine has brought forth a range of ethical dilemmas that are garnering increased attention and stimulating debates. Among the prominent ethical concerns is the inquiry into whether forthcoming medical AI systems will entirely supplant human doctors and how the dynamics of the doctor–patient relationship will evolve once medical AI systems have taken over. Drawing from a prevalent practice in Chinese medicine where doctors may, under certain circumstances, convey white lies to elderly patients for specific reasons, this article aims to argue the following: (1) shaped by Confucian principles of filial piety and the emphasis on family-centered values, the telling of benevolent lies to elderly patients in China can be ethically justified in particular situations. (2) In a future society where medical AI systems become widespread replacements for human doctors, instances of benevolent deception in medical practice, as seen in traditional settings, may diminish. This transition could potentially pose challenges to the doctor–patient relationship in China.