Abstract

Background: Artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT are increasingly used in medical education; however, national data from Saudi Arabia remain limited.
Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted between September and December 2025 among undergraduate medical students in Saudi Arabia using a validated online questionnaire distributed through convenience sampling. Demographics, AI exposure, ChatGPT usage patterns, and perception scores were analyzed using SPSS version 28 with descriptive and inferential statistics.
Results: A total of 286 students participated, of whom 187 (65.4%) were female and 154 (53.8%) were aged 19-22 years. The most commonly used AI tools were AI-generated simulation cases (194, 67.8%), virtual patients (114, 39.9%), and digital anatomy (93, 32.5%). ChatGPT was mainly used for studying/exam preparation 259 (90.6%), answering medical questions 248 (86.7%), and exploring new medical topics 234 (81.8%). Perceptions were favorable, particularly regarding the need to verify ChatGPT outputs (mean 4.38 ± 0.82). Younger students and active ChatGPT users demonstrated significantly higher perception scores (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: ChatGPT is widely used by medical students in Saudi Arabia and is viewed as a beneficial adjunct to learning. Structured AI education focusing on ethics and verification is recommended.

Key words: Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, Medical Education, ChatGPT, Medical Students, Saudi Arabia, Perception.