An estimated one-third of U.S. adults are asking artificial intelligence to play doctor, according to a survey released Wednesday by KFF.
The health policy nonprofit recently collected answers from more than 1,300 Americans as part of wider poll on how people sought medical information over the past year.
The results suggest widespread use of products like ChatGPT to check symptoms, learn coping skills for mental health issues and compare treatment options — often out of necessity. Some doctors urge patients to be careful, as AI can produce inaccurate or misleading outputs.
“I don’t have a problem with people seeking information,” said Arvind Venkat, a longtime emergency physician and McCandless Democrat serving in the Pennsylvania House. “But it requires a certain amount of caution.”
Americans especially value the immediacy of chatbots when it comes to medical questions, the survey shows.
Unlike doctors, AI models can provide near-instant answers at any hour. Some 90% of the AI users said they were motivated by a desire for quick information or support. Reflecting the pull of rapid responses, 59% reported asking AI to interpret test results before talking to a provider.
Relying on AI to gauge whether to see a doctor is another popular practice, according to the survey.
Turning to AI wasn’t merely a matter of preference for some. About 46% of people said they used these tools because of the cost of care. Most chatbots have free or low-cost subscription tiers. And 45% cited their lack of a health care provider or inability to get an appointment.
Seeking medical advice from chatbots both for physical and mental health skewed toward younger age groups and those without insurance. Racial differences were minimal when it came to physical health, but Black and Hispanic people were significantly more likely than white people to check with AI about mental health.
Clinicians were still the top source of medical advice, the survey found, with about 80% of respondents saying they’ve consulted one in the past year. Internet search engines came in second place at 68%, followed by AI at 32% and social media at 29%.
Of adults who used AI for physical health advice, 58% followed up with a doctor or other health care professional, and 42% did so after getting mental health information from AI.
The KFF survey comes as several AI companies are pushing health-specific products.
OpenAI launched ChatGPT Health in January, allowing patients to plug in information from medical records and wellness apps to get tailored responses. More than 40 million people worldwide ask health-related questions to ChatGPT on a given day, according to OpenAI.
Just this month, Amazon added a health AI assistant to its website and app. The tool can answer questions and explain health records, but also handle tangible tasks like managing prescriptions and booking appointments.
Research published last month in the journal Nature Medicine highlighted the risks of patients consulting chatbots for medical reasons. In the study, AI tools excelled at identifying textbook medical emergencies but often over- or under-reacted to more complex cases.
Dr. Neal Baker, medical director of emergency medicine at WVU Medicine Uniontown Hospital, expressed concern AI might struggle to identify certain conditions. Heart attacks, for instance, don’t always come with the telltale signs of chest pain and shortness of breath.
“I can definitely see how it would lead people astray,” he said.