Epic Systems, the dominant electronic health record provider, has officially released AI Charting a built-in ambient AI documentation tool further embedding generative AI into everyday clinical workflows. Unveiled on February 4, 2026, during Epic’s Winter Cool Stuff Ahead customer event, the feature builds on CEO Judy Faulkner’s August 2025 announcement at the Users Group Meeting and leverages Epic’s longstanding partnership with Microsoft.

AI Charting listens ambiently during in-person or virtual patient encounters, drafting high-quality clinician notes in real time while suggesting relevant orders based on the discussion. Clinicians can personalize note structures using simple voice commands, such as requesting the history of present illness in a bulleted list or adjusting formats for current and future visits. The tool aims to minimize administrative burden, cut after-hours documentation (often called pajama time), and allow providers to stay fully engaged with patients. It forms a core part of Epic’s Art suite for clinicians, complementing features like Insights, which summarizes patient histories for faster visit preparation.

The launch coincides with strong momentum in Epic’s AI ecosystem. 85% of Epic customers are now live with generative AI across Art, Emmie (patient scheduling assistant), and Penny (revenue cycle copilot). Insights usage has surged to over 16 million monthly interactions—a nearly threefold increase since late 2025. Penny, deployed at more than 200 organizations, has reduced professional billing coding denials by over 20% and accelerated medical necessity denial appeals by 23%. Emmie continues to expand, offering conversational support in MyChart and via text for tasks like appointment scheduling and bill payments.

Early feedback from pilot sites and initial adopters (including several organizations live since the August announcement) has been positive, with reports of meaningful time savings during the day and reductions in after-hours charting. The built-in nature of AI Charting gives Epic a competitive edge in the heated ambient scribe market, where standalone vendors face pressure from native EHR integrations. By combining secure, healthcare-specific AI models with seamless Epic workflow compatibility, the tool promises improved efficiency, clinician well-being, and ultimately better patient experiences without disrupting existing systems.