Last reviewed: November 2026. This guide is for general information and is not medical advice.
Artificial intelligence (AI) and immersive technology are often described together, as if smart headsets were already guiding care on their own. The published reviews tell a more modest story: AI mostly works behind the scenes, preparing the images that augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) display, and many combined uses are still in the research phase.
Key takeaways
- Stage: reviews describe many AI applications in this area as still being researched, not in routine use.
- Main role today: processing scans and data that AR and VR then display.
- Privacy: AI makes it easier to identify and profile people from headset data.
- Evidence: this guide rests on narrative and technical reviews. We found no pooled trial evidence on patient outcomes.
In this guide
Where AI and immersive technology meet
- Preparing images. Before a scan can be shown as a 3D model, the organs and structures in it have to be outlined. AI can do part of that work, which otherwise takes specialist time.
- Supporting surgery. A 2023 review in Frontiers in Surgery describes AI, robotics, AR and VR as tools that can assist neurosurgeons, with AI helping before an operation in diagnosis and patient selection.
- Adapting experiences. In training and therapy, software can adjust a scenario to how the user is performing.
How far along is it?
A 2024 review of AR, mixed reality and VR for surgery, covering work from 2019 to 2024, notes that while AI shows significant potential in medicine, many applications are still in the research phase. Its stated aim is to help move AI from research into clinical use, which is a fair description of where the field stands.
For the AR and VR tools that do have clinical evidence, see our guides to surgery and medical imaging. In those areas, the cleared products are mainly navigation and viewing systems.
The privacy question
Headsets generate large amounts of data about how a person moves and responds. A 2024 scoping review of privacy in extended reality health care warns that when this is combined with AI and machine learning, it can be used to identify, de-anonymize and profile users. More on this in our guide to privacy, safety and ethics.
Questions to ask
- What exactly does the AI do in this product, and who checks its output?
- Has the AI function itself been reviewed by a regulator?
- Is my data used to train or improve the system?
Common questions
How is AI used with AR and VR in healthcare?
Mostly behind the scenes. AI helps prepare scans so they can be shown as 3D models, and can support diagnosis and planning before surgery.
Is AI-guided AR surgery in routine use?
Not as a rule. Reviews describe many applications that combine AI with AR and VR as still in the research phase. Cleared products are mainly navigation and viewing systems.
Does AI in headsets create privacy risks?
Yes. A 2024 review warns that headset data combined with AI and machine learning can be used to identify and profile users.
Sources
- Sang AY, et al. Technological Advancements in Augmented, Mixed, and Virtual Reality Technologies for Surgery: A Systematic Review. Cureus, 2024.
- Kazemzadeh K, et al. Advances in artificial intelligence, robotics, augmented and virtual reality in neurosurgery. Frontiers in Surgery, 2023.
- Lake K, et al. Cybersecurity and Privacy Issues in Extended Reality Health Care Applications: Scoping Review. JMIR XR and Spatial Computing, 2024.
