A chatbot a day keeps the doctor away — or so it seems for millions of Americans, according to a new survey from the West Health-Gallup Center.
The survey polled 5,500 American adults and found that one in four used AI for health information. While 95% reported using it as a tool before a visit to the doctor, 14% claimed that the advice was enough to skip the trip altogether.
When applied to a larger population, that would mean approximately 14 million Americans are relying solely on AI.
Still, many approach with caution. Only 4% claimed to strongly trust chatbots for their accuracy, while one-third openly distrusted them.
So why are people turning to AI despite these doubts? For many, AI offers answers that traditional healthcare cannot: immediate answers, convenience and lack of judgment. Even when users question its accuracy, the ease of getting a response can outweigh hesitation.
Conversations with AI ranged from interpreting doctor’s notes to a focus on nutrition, medication or diagnosis. And while being more informed is usually a good thing, there are deeper implications.
Reliance on AI often reflects who can and cannot afford healthcare. Of those surveyed, 27% said they turned to AI because they could not afford a doctor’s visit. While wealthier patients may use AI as a supplement before seeing a physician, lower-income patients may be forced to use it in place of one, widening an already existing healthcare gap.
Regardless of how you feel, AI is likely here to stay. So next time you’re under the weather, Dr. Chatbot can be a helpful first step — just maybe not the final diagnosis.