Veterinary surveys show AI gains, staffing strain persists

Veterinary practices are adopting digital tools faster than many expected, but the workforce picture remains strained. New 2026 survey findings from Instinct Science, covering 763 general practice professionals and a separate group in specialty, emergency, and urgent care, found that 91% of general practices adopted or changed at least one technology in the past year, and 48% now use AI in some capacity. In general practice, fewer than 10% of clinics still use a traditional fixed full-time schedule, while 40% offer part-time roles and 25% have moved to a four-day workweek. At the same time, staffing shortages remain the top challenge in specialty and emergency settings, cited by 85% of respondents, even as more hospitals added full-time team members in 2025. (globenewswire.com)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the surveys suggest that AI and other digital systems are becoming operational infrastructure, not side experiments. Instinct reported that nearly three-quarters of general practice AI users said the tools improved efficiency, and in specialty and emergency care, respondents linked new technology to better efficiency, patient care, and fewer treatment or diagnostic errors. But the data also shows technology isn't solving the staffing problem on its own: retention pressure remains high, especially for technicians and support staff, and 60% of general practices said staffing shortages limit their ability to offer more flexibility. Broader industry reporting points in the same direction. AAHA and Digitail previously found 83% of veterinary professionals were familiar with AI, 39% were already using it, but 70% had reliability concerns and 43% said they lacked proper training — a gap some vendors now argue calls for a dedicated in-clinic AI lead or “AI champion” to oversee rollout, training, and governance. (globenewswire.com)

What to watch: Expect more scrutiny on which tools actually reduce documentation burden and improve retention, especially as practices weigh AI adoption against accuracy concerns, training needs, and a softer client spending environment. There may also be more attention on who inside a hospital owns AI implementation, as clinics move from trial use to ongoing workflow management and oversight. (todaysveterinarybusiness.com)