The “DeepSeek effect” and the adoption–integration gap of generative artificial intelligence in clinical practice: a national online convenience cross-sectional survey of academic critical care physicians in China

The study examined the impact of DeepSeek's release on generative artificial intelligence (GAI) adoption among Chinese academic critical care physicians. The research compared two cohorts of physicians from Chinese hospitals: 456 physicians before DeepSeek's launch (December 2024) and 372 physicians after (December 2025). GAI usage increased significantly from 64.7% to 94.1% (p < 0.001), driven by technical advances in domestic models and improved accessibility. However, formal GAI training participation remained low (13.2% vs. 13.7%, p = 0.84). Less than 30% of trained physicians completed structured training, which was strongly associated with higher self-reported professional competence (AOR = 22.2). The study revealed a stark gap between GAI adoption and its actual integration into clinical practice without corresponding improvements in professional competence. Researchers recommend shifting from promoting basic adoption to building structured training frameworks for safe and effective clinical integration.