Abstract: Objective To explore the application willingness of artificial intelligence （AI）-assisted diagnosis and treatment technology and its influencing factors among primary care physicians in Guangdong Province. Methods Primary care physicians in Guangdong Province were selected by convenient sampling method to conduct a questionnaire survey on their demographic characteristics and willingness to apply AI-assisted diagnosis and treatment technology. The structural equation modeling was fitted to analyze the influencing factors of primary care physicians' willingness to apply AI-assisted diagnosis and treatment technology. Results A total of 3 490 primary care physicians from Guangdong Province were included, with an average age of （32.99±15.89） years, and 1 815 were male （52.01%）. The consent rates of primary care physicians who supported AI-assisted diagnosis and treatment technology to serve patients, believed that AI could promote the progress of medical technology and the popularization of advanced and sophisticated medical technology, and were willing to try or continue to use AI-assisted diagnosis and treatment technology to provide services for patients was 82.15%, 78.83%, and 78.45% respectively. The results of structural equation modeling showed that perceived usefulness, perceived satisfaction, perceived service quality, perceived information quality, and a higher education level had a positive impact on the willingness of primary care physicians to apply AI-assisted diagnosis and treatment technology, and the standardized path coefficients were 0.354, 0.268, 0.121, 0.270, and 0.035 respectively （P<0.05 or P<0.01）. The higher professional title had a negative impact on the willingness of primary care physicians to apply AI-assisted diagnosis and treatment technology, and the standardized path coefficient was -0.045 （P<0.01）. Conclusions Primary care physicians' willingness to apply AI-assisted diagnosis and treatment technology is generally high in Guangdong Province. Perceived usefulness, perceived satisfaction, perceived information quality, perceived service quality, education level, and professional title are the influencing factors of primary care physicians' willingness to apply AI-assisted diagnosis and treatment technology.

Key words: Primary care physician, Artificial intelligence, Assisted diagnosis and treatment, Willingness, Structural equation modeling