A recent Gallup poll found that one in four adults, or about 66 million Americans, reported using artificial intelligence tools or chatbot features to learn more about healthcare. Whether investigating a personal health condition or conducting research before or after a doctor’s appointment, Americans are turning to AI for medical assistance.
Is it okay to use AI for medical advice?
It’s almost a universal experience to go to the doctor and not have all your questions answered, or to even be nervous about attending a doctor’s appointment. These reasons and more are why nearly 20% of Americans use AI for healthcare information. Gallup surveyed more than 5,500 U.S. adults about their use of AI in medical and healthcare, and more than half reported that they “use AI to complement their healthcare experiences, using the technology before or after visiting a doctor.” Nearly half of healthcare AI users also reported that the “AI tool or chatbot made them feel more confident when talking to or asking questions of a healthcare provider.” Others said: “It helped them identify problems earlier or avoid unnecessary medical tests and procedures.”
“Artificial intelligence is already changing the way Americans seek health information, make decisions and interact with healthcare providers, and health care systems must keep pace,” said Tim Lash, president of the West Health Policy Center. “The risk is not that AI moves too fast – it is that healthcare systems move too slowly to responsibly guide its use in healthcare.”
Lash emphasizes this point in part because a smaller, but not insignificant, portion of the U.S. population says they are turning to AI instead of seeing a doctor or medical professional. This is due to a number of reasons, including cost, access, quality of care, time, and shame barriers. That said, about 84% of AI health users still see a medical provider, but 14% report that after consulting with AI, they chose not to seek medical care when they otherwise would have. While 14% doesn’t seem like much, this amounts to approximately 14 million Americans. Although this group is significantly smaller than those still seeking medical care, this does not mean that this group is unimportant.
Can you trust AI?
While this may be a worrying amount, keep in mind that just because people consult AI doesn’t mean they completely trust it. There are mixed reports from those using AI for health and medical advice: 33% say they trust AI, another 33% say they neither trust nor distrust AI, and 34% say they distrust AI. However, Gallup reported that only 4% of users have strong confidence in AI’s healthcare and medical accuracy. So the majority of Americans who use AI to answer their health questions are aware of its potential inaccuracy.
“This data indicates that while some Americans are using artificial intelligence as a replacement for going to the doctor, many see it as a tool to supplement their healthcare, helping them understand the symptoms they may be feeling and clarifying any diagnosis they receive from their doctors,” said Joe Daly, Global Managing Partner at Gallup.
AI can be a great tool used to encourage people to visit a medical professional, help people fully understand their health conditions or doctor visits, and provide personalized information to those who cannot afford or access a doctor. But it can also deter many from visiting a human doctor and provide incorrect medical advice that, if followed, can worsen medical conditions.
If you use AI for healthcare advice, questions, or research, keep in mind that it is still just artificial intelligence and not a real human. So if you have medical problems that you would normally go to the doctor for, keep seeing a human doctor and don’t completely replace a doctor visit with AI. Additionally, keep in mind that AI is never 100% accurate about healthcare, so it can provide insightful information, but there is no guarantee that the information will be accurate for your personal healthcare needs.
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Americans are turning to AI to supplement healthcare visits