Abstract
Artificial intelligence (AI) is having a greater impact on clinical decision-making and workflow efficiency globally; nevertheless, Pakistan's healthcare sector has not yet fully incorporated AI. This study explores doctors’ perceptions and lived experiences of using AI in clinical practice, focusing on perceived usefulness, ease of use, ethical considerations, trust, and adoption intentions. Using an interpretivist paradigm and Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), semi-structured interviews were conducted with fifteen doctors from public and private hospitals in Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Findings indicate that doctors primarily gain AI awareness through practical, hands-on exposure rather than formal training. AI is viewed as helpful for documentation, research summarization, and organizing clinical reasoning; however, concerns about patient confidentiality, data security, algorithmic accuracy, and medico-legal responsibility restrict trust. Although AI tools were generally easy to navigate, participants stressed the need for human oversight, critical appraisal, and institutionally managed AI systems. The study extends the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) by showing that ethical safeguards, trust, and institutional infrastructure are essential moderators of AI adoption in healthcare. AI is generally seen as a helpful healthcare tool, but significant integration demands strong governance, professional training, and safe systems.