Patient trust in medical professionals might hinge on what artificial intelligence (AI) has to say, according to a team led by Penn State researchers. Using an AI chatbot roleplaying as a human doctor, the team identified how people perceive medical professionals when they think a “human” doctor consults an AI system for a second opinion during mental health consultations. They found that when the AI system agreed with the proxy doctor’s recommendation, patients viewed the professional’s assessment as more credible. But when the AI disagreed with the doctor’s assessment, patient perceptions of medical uncertainty and doctor laziness increased.