The American Urological Association (AUA) Annual Meeting is widely recognized as the most prestigious meeting in the field of urology. Every year, it provides a platform for urologists, researchers, and students to present their research and learn about the latest advances in clinical care and technology. Participating in the AUA has consistently been an inspiring experience.
One of the rapidly evolving topics at recent meetings has been the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in urology. Since 2020, the development and widespread adoption of generative AI tools have sparked intense discussions. Even in 2025, AI remains a hot topic, as studies continue to show its accuracy in reading and interpreting scans, a new question has emerged: Can AI do more than just read scans?
At this year’s meeting, Dr. Cacciamani from the University of Southern California gave a session that highlighted ways in which AI can help us, such as analyzing patient data, enhancing provider-patient communication, and automating time-consuming administrative tasks. These contributions, he argued, have the potential to “bring joy back to medicine” by allowing physicians to focus more on patient care and less on clerical duties.
Beyond documentation and communication, several abstracts at the AUA showcased how AI could further influence clinical practice, including during robotic-assisted surgery. A research team demonstrated an AI driven algorithm can accurately predict post-surgical outcomes based on patients’ preoperative variables. This can potentially help optimize surgical planning and improve patients’ outcomes by tailoring them to individual patient characteristics.
Another standout example came from Dr. Dickson Ko and his team, who introduced CLARIS, an AI-powered software tool designed to enhance image quality during robotic-assisted prostatectomy. A common challenge during these procedures is visual obstruction from smoke generated by electrocautery. By using recorded surgical videos, CLARIS demonstrated the ability to filter out smoke, fog, and haze, significantly improving visual clarity during surgery. With clearer visualization, surgeons may be able to operate more efficiently, reduce procedure times, and improve overall patient outcomes. The implications of this technology could extend to a variety of robotic procedures beyond Urology.
In addition, researchers from Japan and Chicago showcased AI models capable of identifying and labeling anatomical structures such as the bladder, prostate, and renal hilum in real-time during surgery. This functionality could greatly enhance surgical education, providing an invaluable tool for training residents and medical students. Interestingly, both teams noted that the AI systems underwent a learning process, demonstrating the adaptability and plasticity of AI technology, and its potential to be fine-tuned for different surgical contexts.
Overall, this year’s AUA meeting deepened our understanding of how AI can support not only patients but also providers. From direct patient care to surgery to education, AI helps define the future of Urology.
Dr. Palese has no conflicts of interest to report.
Image by Moor Studio / Getty Images
