AI search can confidently send someone to a surgeon who's retired, connect them to a competing office's phone number by mistake, or invent a reputation out of two or three scattered reviews. 

None of it happens because the system is trying to deceive anyone — it happens because these tools are built to sound certain, not to be accurate.

Monique talks with Ryan Miller, CEO of Etna Interactive, a digital marketing agency that works with hundreds of plastic surgery practices nationwide, including LJCSC.

Ryan recently spoke to hundreds of surgeons on this topic at the Aesthetic Society's annual meeting, sounding the alarm about a wave of practices gaming AI search and claiming to be “ranked number one” with no defined scale to back it up.

He walks through why AI search compresses the old click-and-read research cycle into one confident answer, why ChatGPT leans on a certain site’s reviews, and why enforcement against false claims is so rare that bad actors are currently being rewarded for it.

Ryan also shares the three questions worth asking in a live consultation, why a surgeon willing to say “no” deserves more trust than one who never does, and how to fact-check an AI recommendation before it becomes a decision with lifelong consequences.

Learn more about Ryan Miller, CEO of Etna Interactive

Connect with Ryan on LinkedIn

Learn more about La Jolla Cosmetic Surgery Centre

Questions answered by this episode

1. How is AI search different from a regular Google search?
2. Can a plastic surgeon legally claim to be “ranked number one” online?
3. Why would a practice with a perfect five-star rating actually be rated lower everywhere else?
4. Does ChatGPT use Google reviews to recommend a plastic surgeon?
5. Can AI recommend a surgeon who has retired or passed away?
6. Who regulates false advertising by plastic surgeons?
7. How fast can misinformation about a practice spread through AI search?
8. What questions should I ask a plastic surgeon during a consultation?
9. Should I trust an AI recommendation when choosing a plastic surgeon?
10. What's the best way to verify a surgeon's credentials before booking a consultation?

About this podcast

Learn from the talented plastic surgeons inside La Jolla Cosmetic Surgery Centre, the 12x winner of the San Diego's Best Union-Tribune Readers Poll, global winner of the 2020 MyFaceMyBody Best Cosmetic/Plastic Surgery Practice, and the 2025 winner of Best Cosmetic Surgery Group in San Diego Magazine's Best of San Diego Awards.

Join hostess Monique Ramsey as she takes you inside LJCSC, where dreams become real. Featuring the unique expertise of San Diego's most loved plastic surgeons, this podcast covers the latest trends in aesthetic surgery, including breast augmentation, breast implant removal, tummy tuck, mommy makeover, labiaplasty, facelifts and rhinoplasty.

La Jolla Cosmetic Surgery Centre is located just off the I-5 San Diego Freeway at 9850 Genesee Ave, Suite 130 in the Ximed building on the Scripps Memorial Hospital campus.

To learn more, go to LJCSC.com or follow the team on Instagram @LJCSC

Watch the LJCSC Dream Team on YouTube @LaJollaCosmeticSurgeryCentre

The La Jolla Cosmetic Surgery Podcast is a production of The Axis: theaxis.io

Theme music: Busy People, SOOP