We predict that AI has the potential to reshape our clinical care, the business of physiotherapy and the education of physiotherapists in numerous ways.

As a professional body, we recognise our responsibility to understand, engage with and provide guidelines and support for these emerging technologies.

In shaping these innovations, our strategic leadership has the opportunity to demonstrate physiotherapy’s unique value in the evolving healthcare landscape. 

As we transition towards value-based healthcare alongside AI advancements, the APA is committed to actively participating in discussions about regulations and ethical considerations.

One of the APA’s next steps will be to develop a position statement on the role of AI in physiotherapy. 

This will require us to engage with experts across multiple domains through an advisory group of key leaders from within and beyond the world of physiotherapy. 

This group will analyse the evolving technological changes and provide guidance on how our profession can adopt or navigate these updates. 

Its role may also extend to identifying education and research opportunities and exploring potential partnerships.

However, we are not looking to reinvent the wheel. 

As we develop our position statement, we will draw from organisations already navigating the complex landscape of AI in healthcare, such as the Australian Institute of Digital Health, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, the Australian Medical Association and the Australian College of Nursing.

These organisations have developed robust guidelines and recommendations for their members and the broader public; learning from these early adopters will help us balance innovation with patient safety and professional integrity.

Many of the abovementioned organisations’ statements and roadmaps converge on critical focal points including governance frameworks, patient-centric applications, ethics, equitable access and health data privacy. 

Our approach necessitates that we investigate and understand not only where AI could help us to grow but also where the potential pitfalls lie. 

For example, we have to be aware that AI possesses a level of bias within its algorithms and this carries risks, particularly for under-represented populations. 

These considerations will form the foundational pillars of the APA’s comprehensive position statement.

We are committed to exploring how clinicians can effectively integrate AI as a collaborative tool that enhances—rather than replaces—physiotherapists’ professional practice. 

Our focus is on identifying practical applications that align with physiotherapists’ workflow in order to streamline administrative processes and reduce the burden of time-consuming tasks.

AI will not be a substitute for human expertise; the onus will still be on practitioners to check the work completed by AI. 

This technology, however, can complement our clinical capabilities.

In our March issue of InMotion, Darren Ross MACP and Associate Professor Kerrie Evans FACP offered tips on how to introduce AI in your practice here. 

Similarly, in our Conference Conversations video series, Dr Leo Ng APAM explained how we could start to implement AI into the physio workforce at the individual level. 

Going forward, we will empower our members to navigate this skill transition effectively by offering a resource hub of education materials, webinars and PD courses. 

Upon the release of PhysioHub—the online platform and mobile application that will allow for the exchange of ideas—members will be able to connect and discuss the ways in which they are currently using AI as well as potential future uses.

AI will be a transformative force and a significant part of the future of physiotherapy. 

It has the power to reshape clinical care, administrative tasks, funding models and research development. 

As an organisation, we are not merely passive observers but active participants in this technology evolution. 

Therefore, we will guide our members through this transition and ensure that physiotherapists remain at the forefront of innovation.

Rob LoPresti
APA Chief Executive Officer