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.