Why Many Americans Are Turning to AI for Health Advice, According to Recent Polls
Many Americans are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence tools, such as ChatGPT, for health advice, according to a series of recent polls. This trend highlights a shift in how people seek medical information, blending technology with traditional healthcare practices.
AI as a Health Information Portal
When Tiffany Davis, a 42-year-old from Mesquite, Texas, experiences symptoms from her weight-loss injections, she doesn't immediately contact her doctor. Instead, she consults ChatGPT on her phone. "I'll just basically let ChatGPT know my status, how I'm feeling," Davis said. "I use it for anything that I'm experiencing." This habit is shared by many Americans, as revealed by a Gallup poll published recently. The poll, conducted in late 2025 and supported by at least three other surveys, found that approximately one-quarter of U.S. adults had used an AI tool for health information or advice in the past 30 days.
Dr. Karandeep Singh, chief health AI officer at the University of California San Diego Health, explained that AI tools, which often incorporate web search capabilities, represent an upgraded version of the Google health searches Americans have relied on for decades. "I almost view it like a better entry portal into web search," he said. "Instead of someone having to comb through the top, you know, 10, 20, 30 links in a web search, they can now have an executive summary."
Motivations Behind AI Health Use
Most recent AI health users are seeking quick answers to their medical questions. In some cases, this helps them evaluate the urgency of needing professional medical attention. "It'll let me know if something's serious or not," Davis noted about ChatGPT, which she typically uses before scheduling appointments. The Gallup survey indicated that about 7 in 10 U.S. adults who have used AI for health research in the past month wanted quick answers, additional information, or were simply curious. Majorities utilized AI for research before seeing a doctor or after an appointment.
Rakesia Wilson, a 39-year-old assistant principal from Theodore, Alabama, shared her experience of using AI to better understand lab results after an endocrinologist visit. She regularly employs ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot to decide whether she needs to take time off for a doctor's appointment or can simply monitor an ailment. "I just don't necessarily have the time if it's something that I feel is minor," Wilson said, mentioning she sometimes works up to 70-hour weeks.
Bridging Care Gaps with AI
Overall, the findings suggest that the rise of AI tools hasn't deterred people from seeking professional medical care. About 8 in 10 U.S. adults report having consulted a doctor or other healthcare professional for health information in the past year, while approximately 3 in 10 have used AI tools and chatbots, according to a KFF poll from late February. Similarly, a Pew Research Center survey in October found that about 2 in 10 U.S. adults get health information at least sometimes from AI chatbots, compared to about 85% from healthcare providers.
However, there are indications that some Americans are turning to AI for health advice due to difficulties in accessing professional medical care. Federal policy and market factors are exacerbating health costs and creating obstacles nationwide. A small but significant share of respondents in the Gallup study cited reasons such as healthcare being too expensive or inconvenient. About 4 in 10 wanted help outside normal business hours, while roughly 3 in 10 did not want to pay for a doctor's visit. Approximately 2 in 10 lacked time for appointments, had felt ignored by providers in the past, or were too embarrassed to talk to a person.
The KFF survey revealed that younger adults and lower-income individuals were more likely to use AI tools or chatbots for health information because they couldn't afford provider costs or faced access challenges.
Trust and Privacy Concerns
Americans are divided on whether AI medical advice can be trusted. Tech experts often warn that AI chatbots, which don't think for themselves, can sometimes provide false information. These concerns have reached even frequent AI users. According to the Gallup poll, about one-third of adults who had recently used AI for health information "strongly" or "somewhat" trust its accuracy, while 34% distrust it, and another 33% are neutral.
Dr. Bobby Mukkamala, an ear, nose, and throat doctor and president of the American Medical Association, appreciates when patients arrive with "more evolved questions" due to AI research. However, he emphasized that AI should be viewed as a tool, not a replacement for medical care. "It is an assistant but not an expert, and that's why physicians need to be involved in that care," he said.
Privacy is another major concern. The KFF poll found that about three-quarters of U.S. adults are "very concerned" or "somewhat concerned" about the privacy of personal medical information provided to AI tools. Dr. Singh noted that most AI tools have settings to prevent data from being used to train future models, but this requires user vigilance. For instance, last summer, private ChatGPT conversations were discovered indexed on a public website without users' knowledge.
Tamara Ruppart, a 47-year-old director in Los Angeles, prefers consulting doctors in her husband's family over using AI, especially given her family history of breast cancer. "Health care is something that's pretty serious," she said. "And if it's wrong, you could really hurt yourself."
