Dr Oz tells federal health workers AI could replace frontline doctors

Former TV doctor who leads $1.5tn Medicare and Medicaid agency also says staff have patriotic duty' to stay healthy

Dr Mehmet Oz reportedly told federal staffers that artificial intelligence models may be better than frontline human physicians in his first all-staff meeting this week.

Oz told staffers that if a patient went to the doctor for a diabetes diagnosis it would cost roughly $100 an hour, compared with $2 an hour for an AI visit, according to unnamed sources who spoke to Wired magazine. He added that patients may prefer an AI avatar.