Evolution of Libyan Pharmacists’ Perception, Concerns, and Practice of ChatGPT: A Cross-Sectional Study in Libya

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are increasingly being integrated into healthcare systems, including pharmacy practice. This study aimed to evaluate Libyan pharmacists’ perceptions, concerns, and practices regarding the use of ChatGPT in pharmaceutical settings. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among pharmacists working in different professional settings across Libya. A structured questionnaire consisting of four sections (demographic characteristics, perceptions, concerns, and practice). A total of 370 pharmacists participated in the study. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data, and Chi-square tests were applied to examine associations between demographic characteristics and study variables. The results showed that awareness of ChatGPT was very high among participants (99.2%), although levels of prior understanding of artificial intelligence and natural language processing varied. Overall, pharmacists demonstrated positive perceptions regarding the potential usefulness of ChatGPT, particularly in educational activities, information retrieval, and content generation. However, participants expressed significant concerns regarding the possibility of misleading information, privacy violations, algorithmic bias, and cybersecurity risks. In terms of practice, ChatGPT was moderately used in pharmaceutical contexts, primarily for obtaining drug and disease information and checking drug interactions, while its use for more complex clinical tasks remained limited. Statistical analysis indicated that demographic variables had minimal influence on pharmacists’ perceptions, concerns, and practices, although age, city of residence, and education level showed some significant associations with specific dimensions. In conclusion, Libyan pharmacists demonstrate high awareness and generally positive attitudes toward the potential applications of ChatGPT in pharmacy practice.