Americans increasingly use AI chatbots for health information

A new report from the Pew Research Center indicates that 34% of U.S. adults have used AI chatbots for at least one health-related reason. This represents a significant trend in how Americans access medical information, with speed being the primary driver for adoption. Approximately 28% of respondents use these tools to obtain health information quickly.

Common uses for AI in healthcare include determining the cause of symptoms (25%), learning more about a previously provided diagnosis (22%), and researching treatments (22%). Additionally, 20% of users utilize chatbots to help understand lab results, while 18% use them to seek information on topics they feel uncomfortable discussing with a person.

The data shows high levels of user satisfaction, with 47% describing the information received as “extremely or very helpful” and 48% calling it “somewhat helpful.” Usage varies significantly by demographic; 44% of adults aged 18 to 29 have used AI for health help, compared to 17% of those aged 65 and older. Furthermore, 56% of Asian-American respondents reported using AI for medical advice, compared to 29% of white respondents.