Emerging technologies in thoracic surgery: artificial intelligence, robotic-assisted surgery, and telesurgery

Background Emerging technologies are increasingly reshaping thoracic surgery across the continuum of care, from imaging-based diagnosis and risk stratification to operative planning, minimally invasive intervention, postoperative monitoring, and remote surgical delivery. Artificial intelligence, robotic-assisted thoracic surgery, and telesurgery represent three major domains with the potential to improve precision, personalization, and access to specialized thoracic care. Objective This review aims to synthesize current evidence on the applications, clinical value, limitations, and future directions of artificial intelligence, robotic-assisted surgery, and telesurgery in thoracic surgical practice. Methods A narrative review of recent literature was conducted, focusing on studies and reviews addressing artificial intelligence–enabled thoracic imaging, pulmonary nodule assessment, radiomics, three-dimensional reconstruction, intraoperative navigation, perioperative risk prediction, robotic thoracic procedures, and 5G-enabled telesurgical systems. Findings Artificial intelligence has demonstrated increasing utility in pulmonary nodule detection, malignancy risk estimation, automated segmentation, surgical planning, augmented intraoperative visualization, and prediction of postoperative complications. Robotic-assisted thoracic surgery has expanded the scope of minimally invasive thoracic surgery by providing enhanced three-dimensional visualization, articulated instrumentation, improved dexterity, and favorable perioperative outcomes across lung, mediastinal, and esophageal procedures. Telesurgery, particularly when supported by ultra-low-latency 5G connectivity, has shown early feasibility in extending expert surgical care across long distances and enabling remote collaboration. Conclusion Artificial intelligence, robotic-assisted surgery, and telesurgery are redefining thoracic surgery toward a more precise, data-driven, minimally invasive, and globally connected discipline. Responsible integration will be essential to ensure that technological innovation translates into safer procedures, improved outcomes, and equitable access to advanced thoracic surgical care.