Attitudes Toward Artificial Intelligence Among Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists: A Comparative Study

Purpose: This study aimed to compare the attitudes of audiologists and speech-language pathologists (SLPs) toward artificial intelligence (AI) and to investigate the effect of the participants’ professional characteristics such as education level, duration of professional experience, workplace setting on these attitudes. Method: A total of 157 professionals from Türkiye, participated in the study, including 87 audiologists (73 females, 14 males) and 70 SLPs (60 females, 10 males). Participants completed a Demographic and Professional Characteristics Information Form, and the General Attitudes to Artificial Intelligence Scale (GAAIS). Results: Audiologists obtained mean scores of 46.49 ± 6.05 on the Positive GAAIS (P-GAAIS) and 23.52 ± 5.27 on the Negative GAAIS (N-GAAIS). Corresponding scores for SLPs were 45.54 ± 6.23 and 22.12 ± 4.78, respectively. No significant differences were observed between audiologists and SLPs on either subscale (p >.05). Among audiologists, attitudes toward AI did not differ significantly according to education level, years of professional experience, or workplace setting (p >.05). In contrast, P-GAAIS scores differed significantly among SLPs based on workplace setting (p = .01), with post-hoc analyses revealing differences between professionals working in private clinics and those employed in special education centers (p = .007). Conclusion: The findings indicate that both audiologists and SLPs generally demonstrate positive and comparable attitudes toward AI. These results suggest a favorable professional climate for the adoption of AI-based technologies in audiology and speech-language therapy. Supporting positive attitudes and promoting the evidence-based integration of AI into clinical practice may facilitate its effective and responsible use in these fields.