Does your child's school suspect autism, but you're facing a months-long wait for assessment? Researchers from Frontiers in Education surveyed 77 educators and healthcare professionals to understand their views on using artificial intelligence (AI) to assess autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The study reveals that professionals broadly believe AI tools could make diagnosis faster and more reliable than the traditional assessments currently available.
This research is limited to professional opinions rather than testing AI tools directly on children, and was conducted across different countries without specific Singapore data. However, the findings highlight what would need to happen for AI assessments to work well in our local context.
Accuracy is the foundation professionals need
The strongest finding: when professionals believed AI could accurately identify autism traits, they were significantly more likely to accept and recommend the tool. Accuracy was the most important factor predicting whether educators and healthcare workers would actually use AI-based assessments in practice. Without this confidence, even a convenient tool sits unused.
Easy-to-use tools matter as much as accuracy
Professionals won't adopt AI assessments if they're complicated to operate. The study found that ease of use was nearly as important as accuracy—and interestingly, it partially explained why accuracy alone leads to acceptance. A tool that's both accurate and simple to navigate creates a powerful incentive for adoption. In contrast, a tool that requires extensive training or produces confusing results discourages use, even if it's technically sound.
Experience and role shape professional attitudes
Professionals who had previously used AI tools showed more openness to AI-based assessments. Similarly, a person's role mattered: teachers and clinicians had different comfort levels with the technology. This suggests that rolling out AI assessments in Singapore would require targeted training and experience-building, especially for professionals less familiar with AI, to ensure consistent adoption across schools, clinics, and community settings.
Making AI assessments work in Singapore
- Ask your child's school or doctor whether they have access to or are piloting AI assessment tools, and whether staff have received training on using them.
- If your child is awaiting assessment, inquire whether your clinic or hospital plans to introduce AI tools—this can help you understand realistic timelines for results.
- Support your child's school in building staff confidence through training programs, since professional familiarity directly influences how well AI tools are implemented.